HB 903 -- Missouri Promise Program

Sponsor:  Kingery

This bill establishes the Missouri Promise Program as a successor
to the A+ Schools Program and expands the number of students
eligible for scholarships beginning with the 2009-2010 academic
year.  The program awards scholarships for tuition and fees to
students who complete high school in Missouri; make a good faith
effort to secure federal and state nonrepayable financial
assistance; have at least a 2.5 grade point average in high
school; and enroll as a full-time student at a community college
or vocational technical school, including certain private
vocational or technical schools as defined in the bill.  These
students must maintain full-time enrollment and a 2.5 grade point
average to retain the scholarship.  This portion is considered as
the successor to the A+ program.

Beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, the program also
provides scholarships for full-time enrollment in public
four-year institutions to students who have completed certain
associate degrees under the A+ program or the promise program.
The scholarship amount will be the lesser of the actual tuition
or the average tuition as defined in the bill.  The amount of
this scholarship may be reduced if a student receives a federal
Pell grant or an Access Missouri Award.  Applicants must apply
for federal and state nonrefundable aid.  The required grade
point average for this scholarship will be 3.0 with a one-
semester grace period.

If appropriated funds are not sufficient for all eligible
students, priority will go to the part of the program considered
the successor to the A+ program.  If those funds are
insufficient, scholarship amounts will be reduced equally for all
students.  The Commissioner of Higher Education must develop a
procedure for evaluating the effectiveness of the program and
submit the results biannually to the Governor, President Pro Tem
of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am