Mark Norris, Sr. Co-Sponsored (Introduced) this Legislation.
Title: Requires Scholarship Students to Complete 30 Credits per Year
Vote to pass a bill that amends Tennessee state scholarship policy to require a greater number of credits, among other changes.
Requires students to complete at least 30 credit hours within a 3 consecutive semester period, beginning with the student’s semester of enrollment, in order to continue to receive a Tennessee Promise or Tennessee HOPE scholarship (Secs. 5 & 14).
Defines “completed” as credit hours awarded by an institution after completing a course and receiving a grade, or awarded through early post-secondary opportunities (Secs. 3 & 10).
Defines “three-consecutive-semester period” as 3 semesters in a 12 month period beginning with the semester of initial enrollment, excluding semesters in which a student qualifies for an approved leave of absence (Sec. 10).
Reduces the maximum award amount of a Tennessee Promise or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for students who have not completed the required 30 credit hours to $250 per semester for the first 2 semesters of the next 3 consecutive semester period (Secs. 5 & 14).
Requires students to maintain continuous enrollment for fall and spring semesters in order to be eligible for a Tennessee Promise scholarship (Sec. 6).
Authorizes students to receive a scholarship for a summer semester if enrolled at least part-time (Sec. 6).
Specifies that students with documented learning disabilities or whose academic program requires fewer than 12 credit hours per semester are exempt from the 30 hour requirement (Sec. 8).
Defines a Tennessee Promise scholarship at a 2 year institution as the cost of tuition and mandatory fees minus all other gift aid (Sec. 4).
Defines a Tennessee Promise scholarship at a 4 year institution as the average cost of tuition and mandatory fees minus all other gift aid (Sec. 4).
Title: Requires Scholarship Students to Complete 30 Credits per Year