The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
Crowe (SB 367)
Present law provides a program of merit scholarships for first-time freshmen attending public
postsecondary institutions or regionally accredited independent colleges or universities in this
state who meet a specified GPA, ACT score, and core curriculum requirements as follows:
1. Opportunity Award in the amount of actual tuition for attendance at a public college or
university, or the state average of public four-year colleges' tuition for attendance at a
regionally accredited independent college or university.
2. Performance Award in the amount of actual tuition plus $200 per semester for attendance
at a public college or university, or the state average of public four-year colleges' tuition
plus $200 per semester for attendance at a regionally accredited independent college or
university.
3. Honors Award in the amount of actual tuition plus $400 per semester for attendance at a
public college or university, or the state average of public four-year colleges' tuition plus
$400 per semester for attendance at a regionally accredited independent college or
university.
4. TOPS-Tech Award in the amount of actual tuition for those enrolled in an eligible
postsecondary institution pursuing nonacademic skills or occupational training.
5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award in the amount of $150/three-hour or equivalent time
course taken by eligible 11th and 12th grade high school students enrolled in Louisiana
public postsecondary education and pursuing an industry-based occupational or
vocational-technical credential.
Proposed law retains present law and establishes an additional award, the TOPS-Tech Plus
Award, for TOPS-Tech Award recipients who have been awarded an associate degree with a
minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale and who enroll in an eligible college or university to
pursue an academic associate or undergraduate degree.
Proposed law provides that the recipient of a TOPS-Tech Plus Award shall receive from the state
an amount equal to that provided to recipients of the Opportunity Award.
Proposed law provides that beginning with the 2014-2015 award year and thereafter, the office of
student financial assistance is required to select up to 100 students from among those who qualify
to receive the TOPS-Tech Plus Award based upon a student's final cumulative GPA at the time
of graduation with an associate degree. Authorizes additional criteria to be established by rule to resolve the issue of tie scores.
Proposed law requires TOPS-Tech Plus Award recipients to meet the continuation requirements
established in present law for Opportunity Award recipients.
Proposed law limits eligibility for the TOPS-Tech Plus Award to four semesters or an equivalent
number of units in an eligible institution that operates on a schedule based on units other than
semesters, unless an extension is granted by the administering agency in accordance with its
rules.
Proposed law requires the office of student financial assistance to adopt rules in accordance with
the APA for the administration of the TOPS-Tech Plus Award.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.1(H)(2); adds R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(6))