KRS 164.786: Dual Credit Scholarship Program.

(1) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Academic term" means the fall or spring academic semester;

(b) "Academic year" means July 1 through June 30 of each year;

(c) "Approved dual credit course" means a dual credit course developed in

accordance with KRS 164.098 and shall include:

1. General education courses that meet the criteria outlined in the statewide

general education core approved by the Council on Postsecondary

Education; and

2. Career and technical education courses within a career pathway

approved by the Kentucky Department of Educat ion that leads to an

industry-recognized credential;

(d) "Authority" means the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority;

(e) "Dual credit" has the same meaning as in KRS 158.007;

(f) "Dual credit tuition rate ceiling" means one -third (1/3) of the per credit hour

tuition amount, rounded down to the nearest whole dollar, charged by the

Kentucky Community and Technical College System for in-state students;

(g) "Eligible high school student" means a student who:

1. Is a Kentucky resident;

2. Is enrolled in a Kentucky high school;

3. Has completed a thirty (30) minute college success counseling session;

and

4. Is enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in an approved dual credit course

at a participating institution;

(h) "Participating institution" means a postsecondary institution that:

1. Has an agreement with the authority for the administration of the Dual

Credit Scholarship Program;

2. Charges no more than the dual credit tuition rate ceil ing per credit hour,

including any additional fees, for any approved dual credit course it

offers to any Kentucky public or nonpublic high school student;

3. Does not charge any tuition or fees to an eligible high school student for

an approved dual credit course beyond what is paid by the Dual Credit

Scholarship Program when the course is not successfully completed; and

4. Is a:

a. Kentucky Community and Technical College System institution;

b. Four (4) year Kentucky public college or university; or

c. Four (4) year private college or university that is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and whose main

campus is located in Kentucky; and

(i) "Successfully completed" means a student receiving both secondary and

postsecondary credit upon completion of an approved dual credit course.

(2) To promote dual credit coursework opportunities at no cost to eligible Kentucky

high school students, the General Assembly hereby establishes the Dual Credit

Scholarship Program.

(3) In consultation w ith the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Kentucky

Department of Education, the authority shall administer the Dual Credit Scholarship

Program and shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS

Chapter 13A as may be needed for the administration of the program.

(4) (a) Each high school shall apply to the authority for dual credit scholarship funds

for each eligible high school student.

(b) The authority may award a dual credit scholarship to an eligible high school

student for an academic term on a first -come, first-served basis by application

date, to the extent funds are available for that purpose.

(c) An eligible high school student may receive a dual credit scholarship for a

maximum of:

1. Two (2) career and technical education dual credit courses per academic

year; and

2. Two (2) general education dual credit courses over the junior and senior

year.

(d) The dual credit scholarship award amount shall be equal to the amount

charged by a participating institution, not to exceed the dual credit tuition rate

ceiling for each dual credit hour.

(e) Dual credit scholarship funds shall not be used for remedial or developmental

coursework.

(5) Each participating institution shall submit information each academic term to the

authority r equired for the administration of the scholarship as determined by the

authority.

(6) The authority shall provide an annual report to the secretary of the Education and

Labor Cabinet, the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education and the

commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education to include:

(a) The number of students, b y local school district and in total, served by the

Dual Credit Scholarship Program; and

(b) The number of general education and career and technical education dual

credits earned by students by high school and in total.

(7) By May 31 of each year, the Ken tucky Center for Statistics, in collaboration with

the authority, shall publish data on the Dual Credit Scholarship Program's academic

and workforce outcomes. The center shall annually provide a report on the data to

the Interim Joint Committee on Education.

(8) (a) The Dual Credit Scholarship Program trust fund is hereby created as a trust

fund in the State Treasury to be administered by the Kentucky Higher

Education Assistance Authority for the purpose of providing scholarships

described in this section.

(b) The trust fund shall consist of state general fund appropriations, gifts and

grants from public and private sources, and federal funds.

(c) Any unallotted or unencumbered balances in the trust fund shall be invested

as provided in KRS 42.500(9). Income earned from the investments shall be

credited to the trust fund.

(d) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, any fund balance at the close of the fiscal year

shall not lapse but shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year.