Establishing a scholarship task force to study scholarship programs and creating the Kansas academic excellence scholarship program to replace the Kansas ethnic minority scholarship program.
Impact
The introduction of the Kansas Academic Excellence Scholarship Program is anticipated to have a significant impact on the state's educational framework. By establishing a task force, the bill seeks to carry out a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of current scholarship initiatives and make recommendations for improvement. This could lead to increased funding opportunities for students and potentially enhance the quality of education across the state by focusing on academic excellence and broader accessibility, thereby aligning scholarship offerings with current educational goals.
Summary
House Bill 2843 aims to establish a scholarship task force tasked with studying existing scholarship programs and creating the Kansas Academic Excellence Scholarship Program. This new initiative is designed to replace the current Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program, with the intent of improving educational opportunities and accessibility for students in Kansas. The bill addresses concerns related to the effectiveness of the existing scholarship program and seeks to ensure that scholarship resources are allocated efficiently and equitably among students.
Contention
Discussion around HB 2843 may include points of contention regarding the replacement of the existing Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program. Critics might argue that the move to replace the existing program could lead to a loss of focus on the specific needs of ethnic minority students who may benefit from targeted scholarship initiatives. Advocates of the bill, however, are likely to emphasize the need for all-encompassing academic excellence that benefits a broader spectrum of students, ensuring equitable opportunities regardless of background.
Abolishing the nursing scholarship program and creating the Kansas healthcare service scholarship program to include part-time students and expand the list of eligible programs.
Establishing the Kansas blueprint for literacy and a literacy advisory committee, directing the board of regents to appoint a director of literacy education, requiring the board of regents and board of education to collaborate on a literacy micro-credential, providing university presidents and deans of education oversight over postsecondary literacy courses, requiring a plan to establish centers of excellence in reading, requiring the board of education to submit annual reports to the legislature on literacy goals; establishing the Kansas education opportunity scholarship to replace the Kansas ethnic minority scholarship, removing limits on Kansas nursing service scholarship awards and modifying the interest rate terms and repayment obligations for such awards, eliminating the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment for the AO-K program, modifying financial limitations on Kansas hero's scholarship awards and broadening eligibility requirements for such awards.
Establishing uniform interest rate provisions for service scholarships administered by the Kansas board of regents that have repayment obligations as a part of the terms and conditions of such scholarship and authorizing the Kansas board of regents to recover the costs of collecting such repayment obligations and charge fees to cover the costs of administering such scholarship programs.
Expanding the eligible fields of study and establishing a maximum scholarship amount for certain private postsecondary educational institutions in the Kansas promise scholarship act.
The skilled workforce student loan repayment and scholarship programs, Native American scholarships, and the North Dakota scholarship; and to provide an appropriation.
Establishing the Kansas trade service scholarship act and making appropriations to the state board of regents for fiscal year 2025 to provide grants to community colleges, technical colleges and the Washburn institute of technology for capital improvements, repairs and maintenance of trade program buildings.
Requires public institutions of higher education to provide student-athletes who lose athletic scholarships because of injuries sustained while participating in athletic program with equivalent scholarships.
Requires public institutions of higher education to provide student-athletes who lose athletic scholarships because of injuries sustained while participating in athletic program with equivalent scholarships.