Overview and Reforms 21 st Century Scholars Program 1

TOPICS 1)Eligibility and Enrollment 2)High School Requirements and Scholarship Activation 3)Postsecondary Requirements and what the Scholarship Pays For 4)Pending Legislation 5)Changes to the FAFSA 6)New Tools and Supports 2

Eligibility and Enrollment 3

Eligibility Requirements Be a resident of Indiana as determined by the residency of your parent or legal guardian). Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen Be enrolled in the 7th or 8th grade at a public school, charter school, freeway school or other Indiana school recognized by the Indiana Department of Education. Be one of the following: –A member of a family at or below the income maximums. (The 21CS Program uses total household income.) –Currently placed in foster care and in the 7 th – 12 th grade.

How to enroll Students and Parents/Guardians apply online at and will need: Student’s Social Security Number and date of birth Parent or guardian’s Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number Current or previous tax years gross income amounts for all members of the household A valid address 5

The 21 st Century Scholars Pledge Complete the Scholar Success Program, which includes activities at each grade level in high school to help me plan, prepare and pay for college.Scholar Success Program Graduate from a state-accredited high school with a minimum of a Core 40 diploma and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Not use illegal drugs, commit a crime or delinquent act, or consume alcohol before reaching the legal drinking age. 6

The 21 st Century Scholars Pledge (continued) File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 10 as a high school senior and each year thereafter until I graduate from college. Apply to an eligible Indiana college as a high school senior, and enroll in college as a full-time student within one year of high school graduation.eligible Indiana college Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards established by my college. Complete 30 credit hours each year I am in college to stay on track toward earning my degree on time. 7

Enrollment FAQs Can a student re-apply if they are denied enrollment? If a student applies in middle school but is denied because they exceed income maximums, can they be admitted in high school if their income goes down? What type of situations are appealable? What is the process for students in foster care to apply? 8

Middle School Resources Resources Enrollment Application Worksheet (English and Spanish)English Spanish Grade 8 Welcome Kit Income Verification FAQ and Instructions Middle School Principal/Counselor Mailing MS/HS Appeals: 21st Century Scholars Help: ; 9

High School Requirements and Scholarship Activation 10

To maintain eligibility, high school Scholars must: Create a ScholarTrack Account Complete the Scholar Success Program Meet Senior Year Requirements –Complete the FAFSA and online Affirmation by March 10 –Graduate with a Core 40 Diploma and a 2.5 cumulative GPA –Apply for admission to an eligible Indiana college 11

Tracking Progress Online ScholarTrack — online tool for managing progress Create a personalized account Students use ScholarTrack to confirm they’ve completed requirements 12 CLICK “LOG IN” CREATE A PROFILE START TRACKING

Scholar Success Program Requirements 13

Senior Year Requirements Complete Affirmation form by March 10 Complete FAFSA by March 10 and make any corrections/updates by May 15 Apply to an Eligible Indiana college Graduate with a Core 40 diploma and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher 14

High School FAQs When must SSP requirements for each school year be completed? Can a Scholar record SSP requirements completed after the required year? Can a Scholar record SSP requirements completed before the required year? What happens if a Scholars graduates early? 15

High School FAQs What happens if a Scholar violates the 21 st Century Scholars Pledge? What if a Scholar student doesn’t meet the 2.5 GPA? Will the 21 st Century Scholarship pay for college Application fees? What happens if a student misses the FAFSA deadline as a high school senior? 16

High School Resources Senior Checklist Senior FAQ College Success Guide Eligible Colleges Scholars Incentives 21 st Century Scholars Help: ; 17

Scholarship Activation After graduating from High School, in order to activate their 21 st Century Scholarship, a student must: Enroll as a full-time student within one year of graduating from high school. Make sure the college they are attending is listed as their top choice on the FAFSA and through eStudent. Maintain Indiana Residency 18

Scholarship Activation In addition, students who enrolled in the 21 st Century Scholars Program after June 30, 2011 are subject to the following rules: 1)Means Testing 2)No Longer Guaranteed Full Tuition 19

What the Scholarship Pays For ( ) Tuition and Fees Does NOT pay for other expenses Eligible Private College: $7,774 Eligible Public College (4-year): Up to $10,387 Eligible Proprietary College or Ivy Tech: $4,115 20

Postsecondary Requirements for the 21 st Century 21

21 st Century Scholar Eligibility Requirements –Be an Indiana resident by December 31 of previous year –Be a US Citizen or eligible noncitizen –Graduate with an Indiana High School Diploma with a 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher –Attend an eligible Indiana institution 22

21 st Century Scholar Eligibility Requirements –Be a full-time student (enroll in at least 12 credit hours – or the equivalent – per semester) –File a clean, on-time FAFSA annually (deadline is March 10) –Use Scholarship Within Eight Years of Activation –Meet credit hour completion requirements and SAP Standards 23

Credit Completion Requirement – Key Terms Credit Hour Clock: The point in which a student must start meeting credit completion requirements. Successfully Completed: Any course that a student takes an earns a D- or higher, even if it doesn’t count toward his or her degree. 24

Credit Completion Requirement – Key Terms Break in Enrollment: Refers to when the credit hour clock pauses for 21 st Century Scholars and full-time Frank O’Bannon recipients. A student must not be enrolled in postsecondary to have a break. A break cannot start until a student’s annual award year has ended. 25

21 st Century Scholarship – Credit Completion Requirements and SAP Students must have 30 completed college credits by end of first year in college, 60 by the end of second year, and 90 by the end of third year to remain eligible for full Scholarship. Any course in which the student passes counts as a completed course. College credits earned in high school count toward the completion credits. 26

21 st Century Scholarship – Credit Completion Requirements and SAP Up to 12 credits of remedial coursework counts toward completion credits IF taken in first year. Scholars who don’t meet completion credits can get Scholarship back if they catch up during the end of the following year. Clock starts ticking during the first semester Scholar uses 21 st Century Scholarship aid. Credits earned in the summer count toward completion requirements. SAP = Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards 27

Postsecondary FAQs Can a student still receive the 21 st Century Scholarship after earning an Associates Degree? If a student takes a semester off, will she still be able to receive her full award again when she enrolls full time? Can the 21 st Century Scholarship be used for summer school? 28

Postsecondary FAQs If a student receives other financial aid, will their state award be reduced? How many years of state aid can a student receive? Can the 21 st Century Scholarship or Frank O’Bannon Grant be used for summer school? 29

Postsecondary Resources eStudent College Success Guide Credit Completion Requirement Info Sheet ScholarCorps Contacts 21 st Century Scholars Help: ; 30

Pending Legislation HB 1248 Higher Education Matters 31

What does the bill do? Changes credit completion from a cumulative 30/60/90 to an annual 30 per year approach Allows the Commission to reduce the Frank O’Bannon Amounts when needed Changes “Participate” to “Complete” for the Scholar Success Program 32

What does the bill do? Clarifies foster care income requirement Requires a Core 40 Diploma to receive a Mitch Daniels Grant Expands EARN Indiana to student eligible for the Adult Student Grant ( 33

Changes to the FAFSA 34

Changes to the FAFSA October 1 Submission Start Date Will use Prior Prior Income Information 35

October 1 Submission Start Date FAFSA will be available on October 1 Earlier submission date is permanent Aligns with college application cycle Allows students more time to file Indiana will keep March 10 FAFSA deadline 36

Will use Prior Prior Income Information 2017–18 FAFSA will use income information from an earlier tax year 2015 (prior, prior year) Alleviates confusion with income tax deadline Colleges will likely receive more appeals for extenuating circumstances 37

New Tools and Supports Building Capacity 38

New Online Appeals Form

Dashboard Report 40

New ScholarTrack System 41

Questions? Chris Enstrom Director of Postsecondary Engagement Indiana Commission for Higher Education