Tennessee § 49-4-943 - Postsecondary financial assistance from net lottery proceeds for students with intellectual disabilities — Eligibility for STEP UP scholarship.

§ 49-4-943. Postsecondary financial assistance from net lottery proceeds for students with intellectual disabilities — Eligibility for STEP UP scholarship.

As used in this section, an “eligible postsecondary program” means a postsecondary program that has received the Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program designation from the United States department of education and is offered by an eligible postsecondary institution that assists students with intellectual disabilities, as defined in § 33-1-101, who have completed high school, but who need a strong system of education supports and services to access and obtain postsecondary education. To be an eligible postsecondary program, a program shall consist of an individualized program of study of up to four (4) years designed to provide meaningful postsecondary activities, including academic, career development and exploration, and independent living skills, on the postsecondary campus. To be eligible for a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship, a student with a documented intellectual disability shall: Not be ineligible for the scholarship under § 49-4-904; Have been a resident of this state, as classified pursuant to § 49-8-104; Complete high school in a Tennessee high school in accordance with the requirements of the student's individualized education program (IEP) and receive a high school diploma, occupational diploma, or certificate, a special education diploma, a transition certificate or an IEP certificate; Be admitted to and enroll in an eligible postsecondary institution in an eligible postsecondary program no later than sixteen (16) months after completing high school; and Apply for a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship. To continue to be eligible for a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship, a student shall: Maintain continual enrollment in the eligible postsecondary program as defined by the eligible postsecondary institution; and Make satisfactory academic progress in the student's program of study as determined by the eligible postsecondary institution. If a student ceases to be eligible for the Tennessee STEP UP scholarship at any time for any reason, then the student shall not be able to regain the scholarship. A student may receive a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship under this section until the first of the following events: The student receives a credential signifying completion of the eligible postsecondary program; or The period required to complete the eligible postsecondary program, as determined by the eligible postsecondary institution, has elapsed. A Tennessee STEP UP scholarship student who has an approved medical or personal leave of absence from an eligible postsecondary program may continue to receive the scholarship upon resuming the student's education in the eligible postsecondary program; provided, that the student continues to meet all applicable eligibility requirements. A student who takes an approved leave of absence shall be eligible for the scholarship until the first of the following events: The student has received a credential signifying completion of the eligible postsecondary program; or The sum of the number of years that the student attended the eligible postsecondary program prior to the leave of absence and the number of years of attendance after the leave of absence equals the number of years required to complete the eligible postsecondary program in which the student is enrolled, as determined by the eligible postsecondary institution. Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, the amount of a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship is the same as the amount of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship awarded under § 49-4-914 to students attending an eligible postsecondary institution. If the sum of all financial aid, including a Tennessee STEP UP scholarship, for which a student qualifies exceeds the institutionally defined total cost of education at the eligible postsecondary institution the scholarship recipient is attending, then the student's Tennessee STEP UP scholarship shall be reduced so that the financial aid actually received by the student does not exceed the institutionally defined total cost of education. Notwithstanding subsection (d), if a student completes an eligible postsecondary program that requires less than four (4) academic years to complete, the student may transfer to another eligible postsecondary program that provides a longer program and continue to receive the Tennessee STEP UP scholarship; provided, that the student meets the requirements of subdivision (c)(1) at the time of transfer. Acts 2013, ch. 483, § 1; 2016, ch. 930, §§ 1-5; 2020, ch. 794, §§ 58, 59. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2013, ch. 483, § 2 provided that the act, which enacted this section, shall apply to students initially entering eligible postsecondary programs in the 2013-2014 academic year and academic years thereafter. Acts 2014, ch. 965, § 1 provided: (a) A student who was enrolled in the 2012-2013 academic year in an eligible postsecondary program as defined in § 49-4-943(a) and who is enrolled in the 2013-2014 academic year in the eligible postsecondary program for the student's second year of study shall be eligible for award of a STEP UP scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year; provided that the student meets the requirements of § 49-4-943 for receipt of the scholarship. Under this act, the student need not meet the requirement of Section 2 of Chapter 483 of the Public Acts of 2013 that a student be initially entering an eligible postsecondary program to receive the STEP UP scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year. TSAC shall require that students eligible, pursuant to subsection (a), for the STEP UP scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year apply for the scholarship within a designated time frame. TSAC shall notify all postsecondary institutions operating eligible postsecondary programs of the provisions of this act and the application requirements and deadlines that TSAC sets at least sixty (60) calendar days before the deadline to apply. Postsecondary institutions operating eligible postsecondary programs shall within five (5) business days of the receipt of TSAC's notification notify potentially eligible students and their parents or guardians of the opportunity to apply for the scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year and the application requirements and deadlines. Such postsecondary institutions shall, within five (5) business days of receipt of TSAC's notification, submit to TSAC the names and addresses of all students potentially eligible for the STEP UP scholarship under this act and the names and addresses of their parents or guardians. TSAC shall notify the students identified and their parents or guardians by mail of the opportunity to apply for the STEP UP scholarship under this act and the application requirements and deadlines within five (5) business days of the receipt of the postsecondary institution's list of the names and addresses of the students and their parents or guardians to TSAC. TSAC shall award the STEP UP scholarship to qualifying students as soon as possible after May 19, 2014. Acts 2016, ch. 930, § 6 provided that: (a) Any student who is currently enrolled in an eligible program under § 49-4-943 that expands or has expanded from a two-year to a three- or four-year program shall continue to be eligible for the Tennessee STEP UP scholarship in the third or fourth year of the program, as applicable; provided, that the student continues to meet the requirements of § 49-4-943 (b)(1) and (2) and the academic requirements of § 49-4-943(c)(1) . No retroactive award of a STEP UP scholarship shall be made to a student who was enrolled in a three- or four-year program in the 2015-2016 academic year. For the Preamble to the act concerning HOPE Lottery Scholarships and the Tennessee Promise and Reconnect programs, see Acts 2020, ch. 794. Acts 2020, ch. 794, § 1 provided that the act, which amended this section, shall be known and may be cited as the “Financial Aid Simplification for Tennesseans (FAST) Act”. Amendments. The 2020 amendment, in (b)(2), substituted “Have been a resident of this state,” for “Have been a Tennessee resident,”, “classified pursuant to § 49-8-104 ;” for “defined by regulations promulgated by the board of regents under § 49-8-104 ,”, and deleted “, for one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application for a scholarship or the renewal of a scholarship”; and, in (e), substituted “§ 49-4-914 ” for “§ 49-4-914 (a)”, and “an eligible postsecondary institution.” for “eligible four-year institutions.” Effective Dates. Acts 2020, ch. 794, § 70. August 1, 2020.