Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that authorizes receiving a GED from a higher education institution.

Highlights:

• Classifies a student as an "eligible student" for purposes of the expansion of the educational choice scholarship pilot program if the student's resident district is not a school district in which the pilot project scholarship program is operating, the student is not eligible for an educational choice scholarship, and the student's family income is at or below 2,300% of the federal poverty guidelines (Sec. 3310.032.A).

• Specifies if the number of eligible students who apply for a scholarship under this section exceeds the scholarships available based on the appropriation for this section, the department shall award scholarships in the following order of priority (Sec. 3310.032.D):

• To eligible students who received scholarships under this section in the prior school year;

• To eligible students with family incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty guidelines. If the number of students who apply for a scholarship exceeds the number of available scholarships after awards are made by lot to receive any remaining scholarships; and

• To other eligible students who qualify under this section. If the number of students exceeds the number of available scholarships after awards are made the department shall select students by lot to receive any remaining scholarships.

• Specifies if a state university refuses to accept and grant credit for any general education coursework that is both completed at a different state institution of higher education and subject to the policies, procedures, or systems, the state university will provide the student that did not receive college credit for the completed general education coursework information to utilize the institution's transfer appeal process and information to utilize the department of higher education's student complaint portal (Sec. 3333.16.E).

• Appropriates $40,000,000 in each fiscal year shall be used to provide additional state aid to school districts, joint vocational school districts, community schools, and STEM schools for special education students (Sec. 265.210).

• Specifies If the student's family income is above 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, the student is no longer eligible to receive an educational choice scholarship (Sec. 3310.032-3).

• Requires each state university to review the university's student records every two years to identify any student to whom all of the following apply (Sec. 3345.351.B):

• The student disenrolled from the state university within the five years immediately prior to the first review under this section. For each subsequent review under this section, the student disenrolled within two years immediately prior to that review;

• The student has been disenrolled for four or more semesters, including summer sessions;

• The student did not complete a bachelor's degree;

• The student has a grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; or

• The student completed at least forty-five credit hours.

Full Bill Text