Bill Summary for H 709 (2013-2014)

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Summary date: 

Apr 10 2013

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2013-2014 Session
House Bill 709 (Public) Filed Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO WAIVE TUITION FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE TOP PERFORMING STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSEWORK.
Intro. by Elmore, Langdon.

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Bill summary

Requires the State Board of Community Colleges (Board) to waive tuition and registration fees in fiscal years 2013-14 and 2014-15 for students who are admitted to a community college beginning with the 2013-14 school year and who can meet the specified criteria. Specifies the seven purposes of the tuition waiver program, including decreasing the strain that universities are experiencing from serving an increasing number of students, encouraging higher performing students at community colleges, and realizing significant cost savings to the state. Requires the Board to develop rules for administering the program. Requires that the Board ensure that credits earned by students participating in the program are transferable for students entering a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.

Specifies that a student is eligible for the waiver if the student: (1) does at least one of the following: (a) graduates from an eligible high school with at least a 3.0 grade point average, (b) completes an eligible home study program with at least a 3.0 grade point average, (c) graduates from an ineligible high school or home study program or earns a GED but scores in the national composite 85th percentile or higher on the SAT or ACT, or (d) graduates from an ineligible high school or home study program but then earns at least a 3.0 grade point average on 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college-degree level coursework; (2) meets US citizenship requirements; (3) meets North Carolina residency requirements; (4) gains admission as a degree-seeking student at a community college; (5) complies with Selective Service registration requirements; (6) maintains satisfactory academic progress as defined by the college; (7) demonstrates that the student is not in default or owes a refund on a student financial aid program; and (8) complies with state and federal laws related to criminal drug violations.  Provides that a student may be ineligible for a waiver if the student has been convicted of certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.

Requires the Board to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on or before January 1, 2015, on the implementation of the tuition waiver program and recommendations on the continuation or modification of the program for fiscal years 2015-16 and beyond.

Effective July 1, 2013.