| |
|
| |
| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
| |
| HOUSE BILL |
|
| |
| |
| INTRODUCED BY PAYTON, CALTAGIRONE, FABRIZIO, THOMAS AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 16, 2012 |
| |
| |
| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 16, 2012 |
| |
| |
| |
| AN ACT |
| |
1 | Establishing a Statewide academic scholarship program to be |
2 | known as the Reliable Educational Assistance for College |
3 | Hopefuls Scholarship for Education; and providing for the |
4 | powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Higher Education |
5 | Assistance Agency. |
6 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
7 | hereby enacts as follows: |
8 | Section 1. Short title. |
9 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Reliable |
10 | Educational Assistance for College Hopefuls Scholarship for |
11 | Education Act. |
12 | Section 2. Purpose. |
13 | The purpose of this act is to reward educational excellence |
14 | and provide an incentive to Pennsylvania students to pursue a |
15 | career in teaching within this Commonwealth. |
16 | Section 3. Definitions. |
17 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
18 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
19 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
|
1 | "Accredited teacher preparation program." A sequence of |
2 | courses and experiences to prepare professional personnel for |
3 | employment in the public schools that is offered at a college or |
4 | university within this Commonwealth and is approved by the |
5 | Pennsylvania Department of Education. |
6 | "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance |
7 | Agency. |
8 | "Fund." The REACH Scholarship Fund for Education established |
9 | in section 6. |
10 | "Grade point average." The numbered grade average calculated |
11 | using a 4.0 scale. |
12 | "Private institution of higher education." An institution of |
13 | higher education located in this Commonwealth that provides an |
14 | organized four-year program of undergraduate instruction toward |
15 | a baccalaureate degree and that is not a State-owned institution |
16 | or State-related institution. |
17 | "REACH Scholarship for Education." The Reliable Educational |
18 | Assistance for College Hopefuls Scholarship for Education |
19 | established under section 4. |
20 | "State-owned institution." An institution that is part of |
21 | the State System of Higher Education pursuant to Article XX-A of |
22 | the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public |
23 | School Code of 1949. |
24 | "State-related institution." Any of the following: The |
25 | Pennsylvania State University, the University of Pittsburgh, |
26 | Temple University and Lincoln University and their branch |
27 | campuses. |
28 | "Student." A school-age resident of this Commonwealth who |
29 | attends or is about to attend a State-owned institution, State- |
30 | related institution or private institution of higher education |
|
1 | located in this Commonwealth, and who is enrolled, or plans to |
2 | enroll, in an accredited teacher preparation program. |
3 | Section 4. REACH Scholarship for Education. |
4 | (a) Establishment.--The REACH Scholarship for Education is |
5 | established within the agency. |
6 | (b) Issuance of scholarships.-- |
7 | (1) The agency shall provide scholarships, which may be |
8 | referred to as REACH Scholarships for Education, to all |
9 | students who meet the requirements of subsection (d) or (f). |
10 | The scholarships may be issued to a student only upon |
11 | confirmation from the State-owned institution, State-related |
12 | institution or private institution of higher education to |
13 | which the student has enrolled full time. |
14 | (2) The scholarships shall be available for four years |
15 | or upon completion of a baccalaureate degree, whichever |
16 | occurs earlier. |
17 | (3) The scholarships shall only be used for tuition and |
18 | mandatory fees. |
19 | (4) The scholarships shall be awarded solely on the |
20 | basis of merit and without regard to need. |
21 | (5) The scholarships shall only be awarded to students |
22 | who are high school seniors during or after the school year |
23 | in which this section takes effect. |
24 | (c) Calculation of award.-- |
25 | (1) Each eligible student who will attend or attends a |
26 | State-owned institution and enrolls in an accredited teacher |
27 | preparation program shall receive a full-tuition scholarship. |
28 | (2) Each eligible student who will attend or attends a |
29 | State-related institution or private institution of higher |
30 | education and enrolls in an accredited teacher preparation |
|
1 | program shall receive the lesser of a full-tuition |
2 | scholarship or a scholarship equal to the average tuition at |
3 | the State-owned institutions as calculated annually by the |
4 | agency. |
5 | (d) Eligibility.--To receive a scholarship under this |
6 | section, a student must meet all of the following requirements: |
7 | (1) Pennsylvania residency for at least three years |
8 | prior to application for the REACH Scholarship for Education. |
9 | (2) Pennsylvania residency during the term of the |
10 | scholarship. |
11 | (3) Cumulative high school grade point average of 3.0 or |
12 | higher for the sophomore, junior and senior years of high |
13 | school. If the student does not graduate from high school or |
14 | completes a home study program meeting the requirements of |
15 | section 1327.1 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), |
16 | known as the Public School Code of 1949, the agency shall |
17 | determine the eligibility of the student. |
18 | (4) Graduation in the top ten percentile of the |
19 | graduating class. If the student does not graduate from high |
20 | school or completes a home study program meeting the |
21 | requirements of section 1327.1 of the Public School Code of |
22 | 1949, the agency shall determine the eligibility of the |
23 | student. |
24 | (5) Cumulative high school attendance of at least 90% |
25 | for the sophomore, junior and senior years of high school |
26 | unless the agency determines there are extenuating |
27 | circumstances, including, but not limited to, approved |
28 | medical or personal leave of absence. If the student does not |
29 | graduate from high school but completes a home study program |
30 | meeting the requirements of section 1327.1 of the Public |
|
1 | School Code of 1949, the agency shall determine the |
2 | eligibility of the student. |
3 | (6) Satisfactory disciplinary record or conduct record |
4 | for the sophomore, junior and senior years of high school. If |
5 | the student does not meet this requirement but meets or |
6 | exceeds all other requirements under this subsection, the |
7 | agency shall determine eligibility of the student. |
8 | (7) Satisfactory academic progress toward completion of |
9 | a course of study in an accredited teacher preparation |
10 | program at a State-owned institution, State-related |
11 | institution or private institution of higher education as |
12 | provided under subsection (f). |
13 | (8) Entrance into a written agreement with the agency to |
14 | maintain Pennsylvania residency for four years after |
15 | completion of an undergraduate degree. The student shall |
16 | reimburse the Commonwealth all amounts received under this |
17 | act and interest thereon, at a rate equal to the average |
18 | Stafford loan through the term of the scholarship, if the |
19 | student fails to comply with the terms of the written |
20 | agreement. |
21 | (9) Apply for the Free Application for Federal Student |
22 | Aid each year during the term of the scholarship. |
23 | (10) Complete at least 100 hours of community service |
24 | each academic year of high school. The community service must |
25 | be documented by a supervisor and approved by the agency. |
26 | (e) Contents of application.--The application of a student |
27 | who seeks a scholarship as prescribed by the agency must |
28 | include: |
29 | (1) All information and documentation required by the |
30 | agency. |
|
1 | (2) If the student is under 18 years of age, the |
2 | signature of a parent or guardian. |
3 | (3) A verified statement of grade point average, |
4 | attendance and disciplinary record or conduct record from the |
5 | appropriate educational institution. |
6 | (f) Maintenance of scholarship.-- |
7 | (1) Except as provided under paragraph (2), a student |
8 | must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during |
9 | each semester at a State-owned institution, State-related |
10 | institution or private institution of higher education |
11 | through the term of the scholarship, unless the agency |
12 | determines that there are extenuating circumstances, |
13 | including, but not limited to, approved medical or personal |
14 | leave of absence. |
15 | (2) In the event that a student receives a grade point |
16 | average below 3.0 during the first or second semester of the |
17 | freshmen or first year at a State-owned institution, State- |
18 | related institution or private institution of higher |
19 | education, the agency shall place the student on scholarship |
20 | probation. |
21 | (3) A student must complete 40 hours of community |
22 | service during each 12-month period during the term of the |
23 | scholarship, which community service must be verified by the |
24 | agency. |
25 | (g) Scholarship termination and transfer.-- |
26 | (1) If a student who has received a scholarship |
27 | terminates enrollment in the educational institution to which |
28 | the student has enrolled full time during the academic year, |
29 | or enrolls in a program of study that is not related to |
30 | teacher preparation, the educational institution shall notify |
|
1 | the agency in writing and shall return all unused portions of |
2 | the scholarship. |
3 | (2) Returned amounts shall be deposited in the REACH |
4 | Scholarship Fund for Education. |
5 | (3) A student may transfer a scholarship from one State- |
6 | owned institution, State-related institution or private |
7 | institution of higher education to another, provided that the |
8 | student continues study in an accredited teacher preparation |
9 | program. |
10 | (h) Limitation.--A scholarship shall be paid only from the |
11 | REACH Scholarship Fund for Education. |
12 | Section 5. Administration. |
13 | (a) Verification.--The agency shall monitor and verify a |
14 | student's compliance with all the requirements under this act. |
15 | (b) Enforcement.--The agency shall enforce repayment of all |
16 | scholarships for a student who does not comply with the |
17 | provisions of this act, to include use of all lawful collection |
18 | procedures and the use of private collection agencies. |
19 | (c) Exclusion from taxation.--No scholarship received by a |
20 | student shall be considered taxable income for purposes of |
21 | Article III of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as |
22 | the Tax Reform Code of 1971. |
23 | (d) Financial assistance.--No scholarship received by a |
24 | student shall be considered financial assistance or |
25 | appropriations to the approved education institution. |
26 | (e) Regulations.--The agency shall adopt regulations and |
27 | procedures necessary to carry out the purposes of this act. |
28 | Section 6. REACH Scholarship Fund for Education. |
29 | (a) Establishment.--The REACH Scholarship Fund for Education |
30 | is established as a separate fund in the State Treasury. |
|
1 | (b) Administration.--The fund shall be administered by the |
2 | agency. |
3 | (c) Use of fund.--The purpose of the fund shall be to |
4 | provide full tuition scholarships or equivalent scholarships to |
5 | students who have been determined eligible in accordance with |
6 | this act. |
7 | (d) Funding source.-- |
8 | (1) Donations and contributions from all public and |
9 | private sources, including the Federal Government, and any |
10 | appropriations or transfers authorized by the General |
11 | Assembly may be deposited in the fund. |
12 | (2) All interest earned by the fund and all refunds and |
13 | repayments shall be credited to the fund. |
14 | (e) Limit on scholarships.--The agency shall not award more |
15 | than $25,000,000 in scholarships under this act. |
16 | Section 7. Report to General Assembly. |
17 | On or before April 1 following the effective date of this |
18 | section, and in each succeeding year in which REACH Scholarships |
19 | for Education are awarded, the agency shall provide a report to |
20 | the General Assembly regarding the implementation and |
21 | administration of this act. |
22 | Section 8. Effective date. |
23 | This act shall take effect July 1, 2011, or immediately, |
24 | whichever is later. |
|