HCS HB 1222 & 1347 -- A+ SCHOOLS PROGRAM

SPONSOR:  Farnen

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Higher
Education by a vote of 19 to 4.

Under current law, students successfully participating in the A+
schools program are eligible to receive reimbursement for the
costs of attending any public community college or vocational or
technical school.  This substitute expands the allowable
reimbursement to include any public 4-year college offering an
associate's degree, and limits the grants awarded to eligible
students to the amount of average community college tuition as
determined by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.  To
be eligible to receive a grant to attend a 4-year school, a
student's permanent place of residence must be geographically
closer to the 4-year college than to any public community
college.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to General Revenue Fund of $1,635,653 in FY
1999, $2,471,910 in FY 2000, and $3,253,218 in FY 2001.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the substitute's provisions
will enhance access to higher education.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Shields and Kelly
(27); Missouri State Teacher's Association; Central Missouri
State University; Holly Kennedy, high school student in St.
Joseph, Missouri; and Chad Blakely, high school student in St.
Joseph, Missouri.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the substitute
will greatly increase costs to the state.

Testifying against the bill was Dr. Farnsworth, President of
Crowder College.

Debra Cheshier, Senior Legislative Analyst

HB 1222 -- A+ Schools Program

Co-Sponsors:  Shields, Hegeman, Kelly (27), Lawson

Under current law, students successfully participating in the A+
schools program are eligible to receive reimbursement for the
costs of attending any public community college or vocational or
technical school.  This bill expands the allowable reimbursement
to include any public 4-year college offering an associate's
degree, and limits the grants awarded to eligible students to
the amount of average community college tuition as determined by
the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.