SUMMARY:  This bill would amend Part 7 of Article 7 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A. to establish the HOPE needs based scholarship.

REQUIREMENTS:

• The receiving school would have to be accredited within the past two years or longer by a list of agencies, but eliminates any agencies that includes as part of its standards minimum salary requirements for any school system administrator either directly or relative to the salary of any other employee;
• Eligibility requirements for students seeking associates or baccalaureate degrees at an eligible public postsecondary institution:
  • Residency requirements as set forth by the GSFC
  • Graduation from high school or home study which they have attended a minimum of 12 months prior to the first day of college classes; or if not a legal resident at the time of graduation, they could meet GSFC requirements for 24 months preceding first day of class at the post-secondary institution;
  • Dependent child of military personnel stationed in Georgia if graduated from high school or home study program in Georgia;
  • Must meet enrollment standards as a full-time undergraduate student and maintain satisfactory academic progress according to federal Title IV programs;
  • Meet further eligibility standards established by the GSFC based on serving the neediest students
  • Recipient of Pell Grant
• Eligibility would expire if:
  • Student earned a baccalaureate degree
  • Student has attempted a total of 190 quarter or 127 semester hours
• If the student is enrolled in a program that requires more hours for completion than the limit, he/she may continue eligibility to 225 attempted quarter hours or 150 attempted semester hours.
• GSFC would determine award amounts, which may be based on a sliding scale according to income.