KRS 164.7894: Kentucky Coal County College Completion Program.

(1) The General Assembly recognizes that the bachelor degree attainment rate in the

coal-producing counties of Kentucky is lower than the state average. It is the intent

of the General Assembly to establish the Kentucky Coal County College

Completion Program t o assist residents of coal -producing counties who are

attending postsecondary education institutions located in coal -producing counties

by providing:

(a) Scholarships to:

1. Decrease the financial barriers to bachelor's degree completion; and

2. Encourage students to remain in the area; and

(b) Grants to community colleges located in coal -producing counties to enhance

the extent and quality of student support services and program offerings

necessary to increase student success and degree production in the area.

(2) For purposes of this section:

(a) "District" means the Kentucky Coal County District consisting of coal -

producing counties as defined in KRS 42.4592(1)(c);

(b) "High school" means a Kentucky public high school or a private, parochial, or

church sc hool located in Kentucky that has been certified by the Kentucky

Board of Education as voluntarily complying with curriculum, certification,

and textbook standards established by the Kentucky Board of Education under

KRS 156.160;

(c) "Kentucky Coal County College Completion scholarship" or "KCCCC

scholarship" means a scholarship described in subsection (1)(a) of this

section;

(d) "Kentucky Coal County College Completion student services grant" or

"KCCCC student services grant" means a grant described in subsection (1)(b)

of this section; and

(e) "Tuition" means the in-state tuition and mandatory fees charged to all students

as a condition of enrollment in an undergraduate program.

(3) A participating institution shall:

(a) Be physically located in the district;

(b) Offer bachelor's degree programs; and be:

(c) 1. A regionally accredited, independent nonprofit Kentucky college or

university licensed by the Council on Postsecondary Education whose

main campus is based in the district, incl uding a work -college as

determined by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority;

2. A four (4) year public university extension campus; or

3. A regional postsecondary education center, including the University

Center of the Mountains.

(4) A participating institution may establish extension campuses within the district to

offer bachelor degree programs for purposes of this section.

(5) A nonparticipating institution shall:

(a) Have its main campus located in Kentucky but not in the district;

(b) Offer a bachelor's degree program not offered at any participating institution;

(c) Be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and

(d) Be a public or independent, nonprofit college or university that is licensed by

the Council on Postsecondary Education.

(6) The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority shall administer the

Kentucky Coal County College Completion Program and shall promulgate

administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A as may be needed

for the administration of the program.

(7) The authority may award a KCCCC scholarship under this section, to the extent

funds are available for that purpose, to any person who:

(a) Is considered a permanent resident of the district for at least one (1) year

immediately preceding July 1 of the academic year in which the scholarship is

made;

(b) Is a United States citizen;

(c) Is a Kentucky resident as determined by the institution in accordance with

criteria established by the Council on Postsecondary Education for the

purposes of admission and tuition assessment;

(d) Completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the

academic year in which the grant is made;

(e) Has earned at least sixty (60) credits or the equivalent of completed

coursework toward a bachelor's degree;

(f) Is enrolled at least half-time at a participating institution, or a nonparticipating

institution in accordance with subsection (8) of this section, in upper division

courses in a program of study that leads to a bachelor's degree;

(g) Is in good academic standing in accordance with the institution's policy; and

(h) Is not in default on any obligation to the authority under any program

administered by the authority under KRS 164.740 to 164.785, except that

ineligibility for this reason may be waived by the authority for cause.

(8) A student otherwise eligible for the KCCCC scholarship who is enrolled in a

nonparticipating institution shall be eligible to receive the KCCCC scholarship if he

or she is enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in a field of study that is not

offered at any participating institution. A program shall be clearly unlike any degree

program offered by a participating institution to be eligible. The authority shall

promulgate administrative regulations to esta blish procedures to designate the

approved programs of study at nonparticipating institutions for which an eligible

student can receive the KCCCC scholarship, which shall include a program review

process that requires fifty percent (50%) or more of the cou rses offered in a

program to be different from courses available in a program offered by a

participating institution. The maximum annual total of KCCCC scholarships

expended for this purpose, to the extent funds are available, shall not exceed five

percent (5%) of the amount appropriated for KCCCC scholarships.

(9) (a) The KCCCC scholarship amount provided to a student may be applied to the

student's cost of attendance and shall be forty percent (40%), up to the

maximum amount defined in subsections (10) and (11) of this section, of the

amount remaining after subtracting the student's federal and state grants and

scholarships from the institution's published tuition and mandatory fees

amount that is used for purposes of packaging federal student aid. Work study

and student loan funds shall not be included in the calculation.

(b) For purposes of this subsection, the tuition amount for a work -college, as

described in subsection (3)(c)1. of this section, shall be the average tuition and

mandatory fees amount of the participating institutions that are described in

subsection (3)(c)1. of this section and are not work-colleges.

(c) Students attending less than full -time shall receive a pro rata amount as

determined by the authority.

(10) The maximum KCCCC scholarship award amount for the 2014-2015 academic year

shall not exceed:

(a) Six thousand eight hundred dollars ($6,800) per academic year for a student

attending a participating institution that is a nonprofit, independent college or

university;

(b) Two thousand three hundred dollars ($2,300) per academic year for a student

attending a participating institution that is a public university extension

campus or a regional postsecondary education center; or

(c) Three thousand four hundred dollars ($3,400) per academic year for a student

attending a nonparticipating institution as p rescribed in subsection (8) of this

section.

(11) The authority shall calculate the average annual percentage increase in tuition for

the six (6) comprehensive universities as defined in KRS 164.001. The maximum

KCCCC scholarship amounts in subsection (10) of this section shall be increased

for each subsequent academic year by the total average percentage increase since

the 2014-2015 academic year.

(12) The authority shall award KCCCC scholarships chronologically based on when

applicants submit the Free App lication for Federal Student Aid until funds are

exhausted, except prior recipients shall be awarded before any new KCCCC

scholarship recipients. Applicants who received a KCCCC scholarship in the

immediately preceding academic semester and apply by the de adline established by

the authority shall be awarded first.

(13) A student may receive a KCCCC scholarship for a maximum of five (5) full -time

fall or spring academic semesters, or their equivalent under a trimester or quarter

system, or until the completi on of a first bachelor's degree, whichever occurs first.

The authority shall determine the equivalent usage of academic semester eligibility

for students enrolled less than full-time.

(14) The authority may award KCCCC student services grants under this se ction, to the

extent funds are available for that purpose, to a Kentucky Community and

Technical College System institution that is physically located in the district.

(15) The maximum annual KCCCC student services grant shall be one hundred fifty

thousand dollars ($150,000) per institution.

(16) KCCCC student services grants shall be used for the following purposes:

(a) To expand outreach services in high schools, in coordination with outreach

services provided by the authority, to advise students of the a dvantages and

importance of seeking a bachelor's degree and the opportunities to attain a

bachelor's degree within the district;

(b) To expand advising resources to encourage completion of associate degree

programs and transfer into bachelor's degree programs;

(c) To expand career advising resources to better link baccalaureate academic

pursuits to career opportunities, especially within the district; and

(d) To provide multifaceted retention and student transfer initiatives to encourage

associate degree completion leading to bachelor's degree programs.

(17) Beginning November 1, 2015, and each year thereafter, the authority shall make an

annual report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education on the status of the

Kentucky Coal County College Completion Program.

(18) Every four (4) years after implementation of the Kentucky Coal County College

Completion Program, the authority shall evaluate the program to ensure the policy

objectives are being realized and to suggest adjustments to maximize the increase in

bachelor's degree completion rates.

(19) Each participating institution, nonparticipating institution, and recipient of a

KCCCC student services grant shall make data available to the authority for the

report and evaluation described in subsections (17) and (18) of this section.

(20) If any participating institution, nonparticipating institution, or recipient of a

KCCCC student services grant does not demonstrate improved performance in

student performance metrics, including but not limited to graduation a nd transfer

rates, the authority may revoke the institution's eligibility for participation in the

KCCCC scholarship or KCCCC student services grant.

(21) (a) The coal county college completion scholarship fund is hereby created as a

trust fund in the Sta te Treasury to be administered by the Kentucky Higher

Education Assistance Authority for the purpose of providing scholarships

described in subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(b) The trust fund shall consist of amounts appropriated annually from coal

severance tax receipts to the extent that the enacted biennial budget of the

Commonwealth includes such appropriations. The trust fund may also receive

gifts and grants from public and private sources and federal funds. No general

fund moneys shall be appropriated for this purpose.

(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 and

continuously appropriated only for the purposes specified in this section.

(22) (a) The coal county college completion student services grant fund is here by

created as a trust fund in the State Treasury to be administered by the

Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority for the purpose of providing

grants described in subsection (1)(b) of this section.

(b) The trust fund shall consist of amounts approp riated annually from coal

severance tax receipts to the extent that the enacted biennial budget of the

Commonwealth includes such appropriations. The trust fund may also receive

gifts and grants from public and private sources and federal funds. No general

fund moneys shall be appropriated for this purpose.

(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 ye ar

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

continuously appropriated only for the purposes specified in this section.