Senator Lincoln Fillmore proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AMENDMENTS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore

5     
House Sponsor: Adam Gardiner

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends provisions related to the centennial scholarship.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     changes the amount of the centennial scholarship;
13          ▸     allows a student to defer consideration for a centennial scholarship for certain
14     reasons; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     AMENDS:
22          53A-15-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapters 236 and 415
23     

24     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          Section 1. Section 53A-15-102 is amended to read:
26          53A-15-102. Early graduation incentives -- Incentive to school district -- Partial
27     tuition scholarship for student -- Student deferral -- Payments.
28          (1) [Any] A secondary public school student who has completed all required courses or
29     demonstrated mastery of required skills and competencies may[,] graduate at any time with the
30     approval of:
31          (a) the student[,];
32          (b) the student's parent or guardian[, and an authorized]; and
33          (c) a local school official[, graduate at any time] who is authorized by the school's
34     principal or director to approve early graduation.
35          (2) [Each] The State Board of Education shall make a payment to a public high school
36     [shall receive] in an amount equal to 1/2 of the scholarship awarded to each student under this
37     section who graduates from the school at or [prior to] before the conclusion of [the eleventh]
38     grade 11, or a proportionately lesser amount for [any] a student who graduates after the
39     conclusion of [the eleventh] grade 11 but [prior to] before the conclusion of [the twelfth] grade
40     12.
41          (3) (a) [A] The State Board of Education shall award to each student who graduates
42     from high school at or [prior to] before the conclusion of [the eleventh] grade [shall receive] 11
43     a centennial scholarship in the [lesser amount of full tuition for one year or $1,000 to be used]
44     amount of the greater of 30% of the previous year's value of the weighted pupil unit, as defined
45     in Section 53A-1a-703, or $1,000, subject to this Subsection (3) through Subsection (6).
46          (b) A student who is awarded a centennial scholarship may use the scholarship for full
47     time enrollment at:
48          (i) a Utah public college, university, or community college[,];
49          (ii) an applied technology college within the Utah College of Applied Technology[,];
50     or
51          (iii) any other institution in the state of Utah[, accredited by the Northwest Association
52     of Schools and Colleges] that:
53          (A) is accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the State Board of
54     Regents; and
55          (B) offers postsecondary courses of the student's choice [upon verification].
56          (c) Before making a payment of a centennial scholarship, the State Board of Education
57     shall verify that the student has registered at [the] an institution described in Subsection (3)(b):
58          (i) during the fiscal year following the student's graduation from high school[.]; or
59          (ii) at the end of the student's deferral period, in accordance with Subsection (4).
60          [(b) In the case of]
61          (d) If a student [who] graduates after the conclusion of [the eleventh] grade 11 but
62     [prior to] before the conclusion of [the twelfth] grade 12, the State Board of Education shall
63     award the student [shall receive] a centennial scholarship of a proportionately lesser amount
64     than the scholarship amount described in Subsection (3)(a).
65          (4) (a) A student who is eligible for a centennial scholarship under Subsection (3) may
66     make a request to the State Board of Education that the State Board of Education defer
67     consideration of the student for the scholarship for a set period of time.
68          (b) A student who makes a request under Subsection (4)(a) shall state in the request the
69     reason for which the student wishes not to be considered for the scholarship until the end of the
70     deferral period, which may include:
71          (i) health reasons;
72          (ii) religious reasons;
73          (iii) military service; or
74          (iv) humanitarian service.
75          (c) If a student makes a request under Subsection (4)(a), the State Board of Education
76     shall:
77          (i) (A) review the student's request; and
78          (B) approve or reject the student's request; and
79          (ii) if the State Board of Education approves the student's request, in consultation with
80     the student, set the length of the deferral period, ensuring that the deferral period is sufficient to
81     meet the student's needs under Subsection (4)(b).
82          (d) At the end of the deferral period, and upon request of the student, the State Board
83     of Education shall:
84          (i) determine a student to be eligible for the scholarship if the student was eligible at
85     the time of the student's request for deferral; and
86          (ii) if found eligible, make a payment to the student in an amount equal to the amount
87     described in Subsection (4)(e).
88          (e) The amount of a student's deferred scholarship payment shall be determined by the
89     State Board of Education based on the amount of the scholarship the student would have been
90     entitled to as described in Subsection (3) and based on the fiscal year prior to the student's
91     request for deferral.
92          (5) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b), the State Board of Education:
93          [(4)] (a) [The] shall make the payments authorized in Subsections (2) and (3)(a) [shall
94     be made] during the fiscal year that follows the student's graduation[.]; and
95          (b) [The] may make the payments authorized in Subsection (3)(b) [may be made]
96     during the fiscal year:
97          (i) in which the student graduates; or [the fiscal year]
98          (ii) following the student's graduation.
99          [(5) (a) The State Board of Education shall administer the payment program authorized
100     in Subsections (2), (3), and (4).]
101          [(b) The Legislature shall make an annual appropriation from the Education Fund to
102     the State Board of Education for the costs associated with the Centennial Scholarship Program
103     based on the projected number of students who will graduate before the conclusion of the
104     twelfth grade in any given year.]
105          (6) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall adjust the appropriation
106     for the Centennial Scholarship Program based on:
107          (a) the anticipated increase of students awarded a centennial scholarship; and
108          (b) the percent increase of the prior year's weighted pupil unit value, as provided in
109     Subsection (3).