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AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Homeschool Scholar Program and making an 1
appropriation therefor. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 164 IS CREATED TO 4
READ AS FOLLOWS: 5
(1) The General Assembly hereby establishes the Kentucky Homeschool Scholar 6
Program to provide Kentucky students who attend at-home private schools and 7
attain high academic achievement the opportunity to earn a scholarship for 8
attendance at eligible Kentucky postsecondary institutions. 9
(2) For purposes of this section: 10
(a) "Academic term" means the fall or spring academic semester; 11
(b) "Academic year" means a period of time that begins on July 1 and runs 12
through June 30 of the following year; 13
(c) "ACT score" means the same as defined in KRS 164.7874; 14
(d) "AP" means the same as defined in KRS 164.002; 15
(e) "Approved AP exam" means an AP exam in English, social studies, 16
mathematics, or science that is approved by the authority; 17
(f) "Approved CLEP exam" means a College-Level Examination Program 18
exam provided by the College Board in English, social studies, 19
mathematics, or science that is approved by the authority; 20
(g) "Approved dual credit course" means a dual credit course in English, 21
social studies, mathematics, or science that is approved by the authority; 22
(h) "Authority" means the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority; 23
(i) "Award period" means the fall and spring consecutive academic terms 24
within one (1) academic year; 25
(j) "CLT score" means a score on the Classic Learning Test provided by 26
Classic Learning Initiatives; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 846
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(k) "Dual credit" has the same meaning as in KRS 158.007; 1
(l) "Eligible institution" means an "institution" as defined in KRS 164.001 2
that has its main campus located in Kentucky, is eligible to participate in 3
the Federal Pell Grant Program, executes a contract with the authority on 4
terms the authority deems necessary or appropriate for the administration 5
of its programs, and: 6
1. Is publicly operated; or 7
2. Is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and has operated for at 8
least ten (10) years and offers an associate or baccalaureate degree 9
program of study not comprised solely of sectarian instruction; 10
(m) "Eligible student" means any person who: 11
1. Is a United States citizen; 12
2. Is a Kentucky resident as determined by the eligible institution in 13
accordance with criteria established by the Council on Postsecondary 14
Education for the purposes of admission and tuition assessment; 15
3. Completed all required high school curriculum credits; 16
4. Was enrolled in an at-home private school located in Kentucky for at 17
least the junior and senior years of high school; 18
5. Completed high school at an at-home private school located in 19
Kentucky on or after May 1, 2022; 20
6. Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an eligible institution on a 21
full-time basis; and 22
7. Is not in default on any program under Title IV of the federal act or 23
any obligation to the authority under any program administered by the 24
authority, except that ineligibility for this reason may be waived by the 25
authority for cause; 26
(n) "Federal act" means the same as defined in KRS 164.740; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 846
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(o) "Participating institution" means the same as defined in KRS 164.786; and 1
(p) "Required high school curriculum" means the minimum credits required 2
by the Kentucky Board of Education for public high school graduation in 3
the subject areas of English, social studies, mathematics, and science. 4
(3) The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority shall administer the 5
Kentucky Homeschool Scholar Program and promulgate administrative 6
regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A as may be needed for the 7
administration of the program. 8
(4) The Kentucky Homeschool Scholar award amount shall be one thousand dollars 9
($1,000) per academic term for up to eight (8) academic terms. Beginning with 10
the 2022-2023 academic year, the authority shall grant a Kentucky Homeschool 11
Scholar award each academic term to any person who meets the requirements of 12
this section to the extent funds are available for that purpose. 13
(5) To qualify for a Kentucky Homeschool Scholar award, an eligible student shall: 14
(a) Meet at least two (2) of the requirements of this paragraph during the 15
junior or senior of high school in any combination, including more than 16
one (1) of the same requirement, by earning: 17
1. A grade point average of at least 3.3 from a participating institution 18
on an approved dual credit course; 19
2. A minimum score of fifty (50) on an approved CLEP exam; or 20
3. A minimum score of three (3) on an approved AP exam; and 21
(b) Achieve an ACT score of at least twenty-five (25), or an equivalent CLT 22
score, while in high school; 23
(c) Submit a completed Kentucky Homeschool Scholar Program application to 24
the authority; and 25
(d) Provide all eligibility documentation required by the authority. 26
(6) (a) To retain the award for subsequent award periods, an eligible student shall 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 846
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have a 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the end of the prior award 1
period. 2
(b) Any student who loses eligibility through failure to maintain the required 3
cumulative grade point average may regain eligibility in a subsequent 4
award period upon reestablishing at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point 5
average during a subsequent award period, as certified by the eligible 6
institution. 7
(7) Eligibility for a Kentucky Homeschool Scholar award shall terminate upon the 8
earlier of: 9
(a) Receiving the award for eight (8) academic terms; 10
(b) The expiration of five (5) years following the student's completion of high 11
school at an at-home private school; or 12
(c) The successful completion of a bachelor's degree. 13
(8) (a) The Kentucky Homeschool Scholar Program Trust Fund is hereby created 14
as a trust fund in the State Treasury to be administered by the Kentucky 15
Higher Education Assistance Authority for the purpose of providing awards 16
described in this section. 17
(b) The trust fund shall consist of state general fund appropriations, gifts and 18
grants from public and private sources, and federal funds. All moneys 19
included in the fund shall be appropriated for the purposes set forth in this 20
section. 21
(c) Any unallotted or unencumbered balances in the trust fund shall be 22
invested as provided in KRS 42.500(9). Income earned from the investments 23
shall be credited to the trust fund. 24
(d) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, any fund balance at the close of the fiscal 25
year shall not lapse but shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year and 26
continuously appropriated only for the purposes specified in this section. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 846
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Section 2. There is hereby appropriated to the Kentucky Homeschool Scholar 1
Program Trust Fund in the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority budget unit 2
General Fund moneys in the amount of $500,000 in each fiscal year for the purpose of 3
funding the awards described in Section 1 of this Act. 4