Tennessee § 49-4-933 - HOPE scholarship — Foster child tuition grant.

§ 49-4-933. HOPE scholarship — Foster child tuition grant.

To be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant, a student shall: Not be ineligible for the grant under § 49-4-904; Meet the requirements of § 49-4-905; Meet the applicable academic requirements for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship or Tennessee HOPE access grant that apply to the method by which the student completed high school; Apply for a Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant and file a FAFSA; and Be admitted to and enroll in an eligible postsecondary institution. This section shall apply to a student who: Was in state custody for at least one (1) year after reaching fourteen (14) years of age; Was in state custody for at least one (1) year after reaching fourteen (14) years of age and was placed for adoption by the department of children's services or one of its adoption contract agencies, and the adoption was finalized; or Was in state custody for at least one (1) year and was placed in permanent guardianship by the department of children's services after reaching fourteen (14) years of age. The student shall present TSAC with official certification from the department of children's services that the student meets the eligibility requirements of subsection (b) for the tuition grant. The student shall be eligible for the Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant: For entrance to an eligible postsecondary institution for a period of no more than four (4) years after the date of graduation from high school or its equivalent; and For a period of six (6) years after admittance to an eligible postsecondary institution if satisfactory progress is achieved and maintained. The Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant shall be the cost of attendance less any gift aid, with the total HOPE foster child tuition grant amount not to exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the eligible postsecondary institution attended. Additionally, at an eligible independent postsecondary institution, the Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant shall not exceed the statewide average public tuition and mandatory fee rate for the type of institution, two-year or four-year, attended. Nothing in this section shall be construed to: Guarantee acceptance by, or entrance into, any eligible postsecondary institution for youth in, or formerly in, the custody of the state; or Limit the participation of a youth in, or formerly in, the custody of the state in any other program of financial assistance for postsecondary education. Acts 2005, ch. 481, § 33; 2006, ch. 869, §§ 1, 2; 2008, ch. 1142, §§ 16-18, 20. Code Commission Notes. Former subsection (g), concerning TSAC report assessing the status of the Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant program, was deleted as obsolete by the code commission in 2009. Compiler's Notes. The federal Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, referred to in this section, is compiled generally in title 42 U.S.C. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 19, provided that §§ 16-18, which amended subsection (c), deleted subsection (e), and rewrote subsection (f), are declared to be remedial in nature and to that end shall apply to all Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant awards made on or after July 1, 2006. TSAC shall award or adjust any award of such grant made on or after July 1, 2006 and prior to June 13, 2008, accordingly. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 23 provided that it is the legislative intent, when additional net lottery proceeds become available in a subsequent fiscal year, that the next funding priority should be adding additional semesters to the established eligibility retention requirements for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship for students who earn a cumulative 2.75 grade point average. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 24 provided that, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, it is the legislative intent that six million eight hundred thousand dollars ($6,800,000) from the lottery for education account may be used to supplement student assistance awards each year. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 27 provided that: (a) TSAC is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the act. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. THEC is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the act. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 28 provided that the act shall not be construed to be an appropriation of funds and that no funds shall be obligated or expended pursuant to the act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general appropriations act. Acts 2013, ch. 453, § 52 provided that: “(a) For students who first received the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, Tennessee HOPE access grant or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students before the fall semester of 2009, award amounts for the 2013-2014 academic year (two semesters) shall be: “(1) $4,000 for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award or HOPE nontraditional scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(a) ; “(2) $2,000 for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(b) ; “(3) $1,500 for an eligible student under the ASPIRE need-based supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-915 ; and “(4) $1,000 for an eligible student under the General Assembly Merit Scholar supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-916 . “(b) For students who first received the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, Tennessee HOPE access grant or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students beginning the fall semester of 2009 or thereafter, award amounts for the 2013-2014 academic year shall be: “(1) $2,000 per semester for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award or HOPE nontraditional scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(a) ; “(2) $1,000 per semester for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(b) ; “(3) $750 per semester for an eligible student under the ASPIRE need-based supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-915 ; “(4) $500 per semester for an eligible student under the General Assembly Merit Scholar supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-916 ; and “(5) Pursuant to the provisions of § 49-4-920 , the award amount for an eligible student under the Tennessee HOPE access grant shall be $1,375 per semester at four-year schools and $875 per semester at two-year schools. “(c) The 2013-2014 award amount for an eligible student under the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant pursuant to § 49-4-921 shall be $2,000. “(d) The 2013-2014 award amount for an eligible student under the Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant shall be determined under the provisions of § 49-4-933 . “(e) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be $1,000 per semester for successful completion of twelve (12) or more semester hours for an eligible student under the Helping Heroes Grant pursuant to § 49-4-938 ; provided, however, that the total amount expended for Helping Heroes Grants shall not exceed $750,000. “(f) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of § 49-4-939 for an eligible student under the Tennessee Rural Health scholarship; provided, however, that the total amount expended for Tennessee Rural Health scholarships shall not exceed $300,000. “(g) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be determined by the Tennessee student assistance corporation in accordance with § 49-4-930 for an eligible student under the dual enrollment grant.” Attorney General Opinions. The phrases “all available financial aid” and “all other student financial assistance from all sources” in the 2006 amendments to T.C.A. §§ 49-4-933(f)(1) and (f)(2) include grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study financial aid awards, OAG 06-141, 2006 Tenn. AG LEXIS 161 (9/18/06).