KRS 164.7881: Eligibility for educational excellence scholarship and supplemental

awards -- Time limits for receiving aid -- Adjustment of amounts and loss of

award -- Extension of time limits -- Senator Jeff Green Scholars.

(1) Eligible high school students who h ave graduated from high school and eligible

postsecondary students who have earned a Kentucky educational excellence

scholarship, a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship and a supplemental

award, or a supplemental award only pursuant to KRS 164.7879( 3)(e), shall be

eligible to receive the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship, the Kentucky

educational excellence scholarship and the supplemental award, or a supplemental

award only for a maximum of eight (8) academic terms in an undergraduate or other

postsecondary program of study at a participating institution, except as provided in

subsections (5) and (6) of this section.

(2) To receive the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship, a Kentucky

educational excellence scholarship and supplementa l award, or a supplemental

award only, an eligible high school or postsecondary student shall:

(a) Enroll in and attend a participating institution as a full -time student or a part -

time student; and

(b) Maintain eligibility as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

(3) Eligibility for a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship or a Kentucky

educational excellence scholarship and supplemental award shall terminate upon the

earlier of:

(a) The expiration of five (5) years following the student's gradu ation from high

school, except as provided in subsection (5) or (6) of this section; or

(b) The successful completion of an undergraduate or other postsecondary course

of study. However, any student who successfully completes the requirements

for a degree or certification involving a postsecondary course of study that

normally requires less than eight (8) academic terms to complete may

continue to receive the benefits of a Kentucky educational excellence

scholarship, a Kentucky educational excellence schola rship and supplemental

award, or a supplemental award only, for a cumulative total of eight (8)

academic terms if the student enrolls as at least a part -time student in a four

(4) year program.

(4) (a) The maximum award amount shall be determined by the authority and shall be

adjusted as provided in this subsection. The award amount ultimately

determined to be available to an eligible postsecondary student for an award

period shall be delivered by the authority to the participating institution for

disbursement to the eligible postsecondary student.

(b) The authority shall, by promulgation of administrative regulations, provide for

the proportionate reduction of the maximum award amount for an eligible

postsecondary student for any academic term in which the student is enrolled

on a part -time basis. Each academic term for which any scholarship or

supplemental award funds are accepted by an eligible postsecondary student

shall count as a full academic term, even if the award amount was reduced to

reflect the part-time status of the eligible postsecondary student, except if the

eligible postsecondary student interrupts enrollment during the award period

for any reason specified in subsection (5) of this section, and the participating

institution does not certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at

the end of that award period.

(c) 1. An eligible postsecondary student who is enrolled full -time in an

undergraduate program of study, in the pharmacy program at the

University of Kentucky, or in a progr am of study designated as an

equivalent undergraduate program of study by the authority in an

administrative regulation, shall receive the maximum award amount for

the first award period that the student is enrolled in and attending the

program of study.

2. To retain the maximum award for the second award period, an eligible

postsecondary student shall have at least a 2.5 grade point average at the

end of the first award period. If the eligible postsecondary student

interrupts enrollment during the award period for any reason specified in

subsection (5) of this section, and the participating institution does not

certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at the end of

that award period, the eligible postsecondary student shall, subject to

paragraph (b) of this subsection, retain the maximum award for the

award period in which he or she resumes enrollment.

3. To retain the maximum award amount for subsequent award periods, an

eligible postsecondary student shall have:

a. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater at the end of the

prior award period. If the eligible postsecondary student interrupts

enrollment during the award period for any reason specified in

subsection (5) of this section, and the participating i nstitution does

not certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at the

end of that award period, the eligible postsecondary student shall,

subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, retain the same award

for the award period in which he or she resumes enrollment as he

or she received in the award period in which enrollment was

interrupted; or

b. A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or greater but less than

3.0 at the end of the prior award period and be on track to

graduate. If the eligib le postsecondary student interrupts

enrollment during the award period for any reason specified in

subsection (5) of this section, and the participating institution does

not certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at the

end of that award period, the eligible postsecondary student shall,

subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, retain the same award

for the award period in which he or she resumes enrollment as he

or she received in the award period in which enrollment was

interrupted.

4. Any eligible full -time postsecondary student who maintains a

cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 but at least 2.5 but is not

on track to graduate at the completion of any award period shall receive

a reduction in the maximum award amount equ al to fifty percent (50%)

of the maximum award amount for the next award period.

5. Any eligible postsecondary student who maintains a cumulative grade

point average of less than 2.5 at the completion of any award period

shall lose his or her award for the next award period.

6. a. Each participating institution shall certify to the authority at the

close of each award period the cumulative grade point average of

each Kentucky educational excellence scholarship recipient

enrolled as a full -time or part -time student at the participating

institution.

b. In addition to reporting the grade point average, beginning with the

2010-2011 academic year, each participating institution shall

certify to the authority at the close of each award period whether a

Kentucky ed ucational excellence scholarship recipient who

initially enrolled in college in 2009 -2010 or thereafter is on track

to graduate.

7. Any student who loses eligibility through failure to maintain the

required cumulative grade point average may regain eligibi lity in a

subsequent award period upon reestablishing at least a 2.5 cumulative

grade point average or its equivalent during a subsequent award period,

as certified by the participating institution.

(5) The expiration of a student's eight (8) academic term s and five (5) year eligibility

shall be extended by the authority upon a determination that the student was unable

to enroll for or complete an academic term due to any of the following

circumstances:

(a) A serious and extended illness or injury of the st udent, certified by an

attending physician;

(b) The death or serious and extended illness or injury of an immediate family

member of the student, certified by an attending physician, which would

render the student unable to attend classes;

(c) Natural disasters that would render a student unable to attend classes; or

(d) 1. Active duty status for the student in the United States Armed Forces or

as an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public

Health Service, or active service by the stude nt in the Peace Corps Act

or the Americorps, for the total number of years during which the

student was on active duty status. The number of months served on

active duty status shall be rounded up to the next higher year to

determine the maximum length of eligibility extension allowed.

2. A student whose eligibility expired prior to July 15, 2008, due to the

three (3) year time limit on eligibility extensions imposed by this

paragraph prior to July 15, 2008, shall have his or her eligibility

reinstated for the number of years beyond the three (3) years during

which he or she was on active duty status. The number of months served

on active duty status shall be rounded up to the next higher year to

determine the maximum length of eligibility extension allowed.

(6) An eligible postsecondary student who is enrolled at a participating institution in a

five (5) year undergraduate degree program designated in an administrative

regulation promulgated by the authority shall be eligible to receive the Kentucky

educational excellence scholarship, the Kentucky educational excellence

scholarship and the supplemental award, or the supplemental award only for a

maximum of ten (10) academic terms. The expiration of an eligible postsecondary

student's five (5) year eligibility shall be extended to six (6) years for eligible

postsecondary students meeting the requirements of this subsection.

(7) Each participating institution shall notify its students of their terms of eligibility.

(8) Each eligible high school student who attai ns a 28 or above on the ACT and a 4.0

grade point average for all four (4) years of high school shall be designated as a

"Senator Jeff Green Scholar" in honor of the late Senator Jeff Green of Mayfield,

Kentucky, First District, and shall be recognized by the high school in a manner

consistent with recognition given by the high school to other high levels of

academic achievement.