House File 32HOUSE FILE BY PETERSEN, HEDDENS, REICHERT, D. OLSON, GASKILL, T. TAYLOR, KRESSIG, WHITAKER, and PETTENGILL Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating a twenty=first century Iowa scholars program and 2 fund to be administered by the college student aid commission, 3 and requiring a program promotion and support study. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1166YH 82 6 kh/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. TWENTY=FIRST CENTURY IOWA SCHOLARS PROGRAM 1 2 PROMOTION AND SUPPORT STUDY. The college student aid 1 3 commission shall conduct a study of the promotional and 1 4 support components needed to make Iowa students who are 1 5 potentially eligible for the twenty=first century Iowa 1 6 scholars program aware of the program and enthusiastic about 1 7 participating in the program. The commission shall also 1 8 develop a plan to promote the program, provide information 1 9 about the program and easy access to program forms and 1 10 applications, and encourage participation in the program by 1 11 potentially eligible students. The plan shall provide for an 1 12 internet home page, special scholar publication, a toll=free 1 13 telephone number, and the placement and utilization of up to 1 14 fifteen regional program support sites. The regional support 1 15 sites shall provide tutoring, mentoring, summer camps, 1 16 cultural and arts outings, sports and recreational activities, 1 17 college visits, career preparation, job shadowing, 1 18 internships, study skills, literacy programs, newsletters, 1 19 community service projects, and parent activities. The 1 20 commission shall identify the amount anticipated to be 1 21 necessary to provide funding for the scholarships, based on 1 22 the results of the study and preliminary estimates of the 1 23 number of eligible eighth grade pupils. The commission shall 1 24 submit its plan, findings, recommendations, and a fiscal 1 25 analysis of the plan to the general assembly not later than 1 26 December 15, 2007. 1 27 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 261.27 TWENTY=FIRST CENTURY IOWA 1 28 SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND FUND. 1 29 1. PROGRAM == ELIGIBILITY. A twenty=first century Iowa 1 30 scholars program is established to be administered by the 1 31 college student aid commission. A person who meets the 1 32 following requirements is eligible for the program: 1 33 a. Is a resident of Iowa and a citizen of the United 1 34 States or a lawful permanent resident. 1 35 b. Is a student enrolled in grade seven or grade eight in 2 1 a school district or accredited nonpublic school in Iowa, and 2 2 agrees in writing, on a document also signed by the student's 2 3 parent or guardian, that the student will: 2 4 (1) Graduate from a public or accredited nonpublic high 2 5 school in Iowa whose curricula meets the admission criteria of 2 6 a community college, an institution of higher learning under 2 7 the control of the state board of regents, or an accredited 2 8 private institution. 2 9 (2) Achieve a cumulative grade point average upon 2 10 graduation of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, or its 2 11 equivalent if another grading scale is used, for courses taken 2 12 by the student in grades nine through twelve. 2 13 (3) Not illegally use controlled substances as defined in 2 14 section 124.101. 2 15 (4) Not use tobacco products. 2 16 (5) Not operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated as 2 17 prohibited by section 321J.2 or 321J.2A. 2 18 (6) Not commit a delinquent act as defined in section 2 19 232.2, not become a runaway child as defined in section 710.8, 2 20 and not become a truant as defined in section 299.8. 2 21 c. Is a child receiving foster care services paid for by 2 22 the state under section 234.35 or funded in whole or in part 2 23 under Title IV=E of the federal Social Security Act, or is a 2 24 child eligible for free or reduced price meals under the 2 25 federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child 2 26 Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. } 1751=1785. 2 27 d. Applies in a timely manner for admission to a community 2 28 college, an institution of higher learning under the control 2 29 of the state board of regents, or an accredited private 2 30 institution and is accepted for admission. 2 31 e. Applies in a timely manner for any federal or state 2 32 student financial assistance available to the student to 2 33 attend a community college, an institution of higher learning 2 34 under the control of the state board of regents, or an 2 35 accredited private institution. 3 1 f. Files a new application, and parents' confidential 3 2 statement, as applicable, annually on the basis of which the 3 3 applicant's eligibility for a renewed scholarship will be 3 4 evaluated and determined. 3 5 2. FUND ESTABLISHED. A twenty=first century Iowa scholars 3 6 fund is created in the state treasury as a separate fund under 3 7 the control of the commission. All moneys deposited or paid 3 8 into the fund are appropriated and made available to the 3 9 college student aid commission to be used for scholarships for 3 10 students meeting all of the requirements of this section, 3 11 including meeting the requirements agreed to in subsection 1, 3 12 paragraph "b". Notwithstanding section 8.33, any balance in 3 13 the fund on June 30 of each fiscal year shall not revert to 3 14 the general fund of the state, but shall be available for the 3 15 purposes of this section in subsequent fiscal years. 3 16 Scholarships awarded pursuant to this section shall not exceed 3 17 the resident tuition rate and mandatory fees for the program 3 18 of enrollment established for institutions of higher learning 3 19 under the control of the state board of regents. 3 20 3. DISCONTINUATION OF ATTENDANCE == REMITTANCE. If the 3 21 commission finds that a student receiving a scholarship under 3 22 the program discontinues attendance before the end of any 3 23 academic period or has violated the agreement signed pursuant 3 24 to subsection 1, but the discontinuance or violation of the 3 25 agreement occurs after scholarship moneys have been paid for 3 26 the academic period, the entire amount of any refund due the 3 27 student, up to the amount of any payments made by the state, 3 28 shall be remitted by the postsecondary institution to the 3 29 commission. The commission shall deposit refunds paid to the 3 30 commission in accordance with this subsection into the fund 3 31 established pursuant to subsection 2. 3 32 4. EXTENT OF SCHOLARSHIP. A qualified resident student in 3 33 good standing at a community college, an institution of higher 3 34 learning under the control of the state board of regents, or 3 35 an accredited private institution as defined in section 261.9 4 1 may receive scholarships for not more than eight semesters of 4 2 undergraduate study, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, 4 3 if attending the institution on a full=time basis, or for not 4 4 more than sixteen semesters of undergraduate study, or the 4 5 trimester or quarter equivalent, if attending on a part=time 4 6 basis. A qualified resident student may defer acceptance of 4 7 scholarships awarded under this section for up to two years 4 8 following the student's graduation from high school in order 4 9 that the student may pursue military or other obligations. 4 10 5. MENTORING PROGRAMS OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS. Each 4 11 community college, institution of higher learning under the 4 12 control of the state board of regents, or accredited private 4 13 institution that enrolls a student receiving a scholarship in 4 14 accordance with this section shall develop a specific 4 15 mentoring program to assist the scholarship recipients through 4 16 particularized academic and social counseling. 4 17 EXPLANATION 4 18 This bill creates a twenty=first century Iowa scholars 4 19 program and fund to be administered by the college student aid 4 20 commission to provide scholarships to pay the postsecondary 4 21 costs of tuition and mandatory fees for Iowa students who are 4 22 eligible for free or reduced price meals or are receiving 4 23 foster care who agree, in writing, in grade seven or eight, to 4 24 graduate with a 2.0 point or better grade point average, and 4 25 to refrain from illegal drug use, committing delinquent acts, 4 26 driving while intoxicated, tobacco use, and truancy. The bill 4 27 also requires the commission to conduct a study of the program 4 28 and to submit its plan, findings, recommendations, and a 4 29 fiscal analysis of the plan to the general assembly not later 4 30 than December 15, 2007. 4 31 To be eligible for a scholarship, students must be Iowa 4 32 residents, establish financial need, meet all program 4 33 eligibility requirements including those agreed to in grade 4 34 seven or eight, and apply for and be accepted by an accredited 4 35 postsecondary institution in Iowa. 5 1 Eligible students in good standing may receive scholarships 5 2 for not more than eight semesters of undergraduate study, or 5 3 the trimester or quarter equivalent, if attending the 5 4 institution on a full=time basis, or for not more than 16 5 5 semesters, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, if 5 6 attending on a part=time basis. The student must annually 5 7 file a new application for review and evaluation of continued 5 8 eligibility. The student may defer participation in the 5 9 scholarship program for up to two years in order to pursue 5 10 military or other obligations. 5 11 Each institution that enrolls a student receiving a 5 12 scholarship must develop a specific mentoring program to 5 13 assist the scholarship recipients through particularized 5 14 academic and social counseling. 5 15 The twenty=first century Iowa scholars fund is created in 5 16 the state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the 5 17 commission. Fund moneys are appropriated and made available 5 18 to the commission to be used for these scholarships. 5 19 The plan the commission is charged with developing must 5 20 provide for an internet home page, special scholar 5 21 publication, a toll=free telephone number, and the placement 5 22 and utilization of up to 15 regional program support sites. 5 23 The sites must provide tutoring, mentoring, summer camps, 5 24 cultural and arts outings, sports and recreational activities, 5 25 college visits, career preparation, job shadowing, 5 26 internships, study skills, literacy programs, newsletters, 5 27 community service projects, and parent activities. The 5 28 commission is also charged with identifying the amount 5 29 anticipated to be necessary to provide funding for the 5 30 scholarships, based on the results of the study and 5 31 preliminary estimates of the number of eligible eighth grade 5 32 pupils. 5 33 LSB 1166YH 82 5 34 kh:rj/je/5