SLS 16RS-288 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 88
BY SENATOR MORRISH
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS eligibility requirements. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:5024(A)(1)(a), and to enact R.S. 17:5024.1, and to repeal R.S.
3 17:5024(A)(2) and (3)(b), (B)(2), and (C), relative to the Taylor Opportunity
4 Program for Students; to provide relative to eligibility requirements for program
5 awards; to provide for recodification of certain provisions of present law; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:5024(A)(1)(a) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 17:5024.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §5024. Academic requirements
11 A.(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Subsection, students Students
12 shall meet the following minimum grade point average requirements, calculated on
13 a 4.00 scale using only the grades obtained by the student in completing the core
14 curriculum requirements established by this Chapter, for the respective awards:
15 (a) For an Opportunity Award, a minimum cumulative grade point average
16 of 2.50 2.75.
17 * * *
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 88
SLS 16RS-288 ORIGINAL
1 §5024.1. Academic requirements; exceptions
2 A. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(A):
3 (1) A student graduating from high school prior to the 2019-2020 school
4 year shall have a minimum grade point average of 2.50, calculated on a 4.00
5 scale using only the grades obtained by the student in completing the core
6 curriculum requirements established by this Chapter, to be eligible to receive
7 an Opportunity Award.
8 (2) For a student who graduated prior to the 2002-2003 school year, the
9 minimum cumulative grade point average shall be calculated by using the
10 grades obtained by the student in completing all classes taken.
11 (3) For a student who graduated prior to the 2007-2008 school year, the
12 minimum cumulative high school grade point average necessary for such
13 students to be eligible for an initial Performance Award or Honors Award shall
14 be 3.50 on a 4.00 scale.
15 (4) The provisions of R.S. 17:5024(A)(3)(a) do not apply to a student who
16 graduated prior to the 2017-2018 school year.
17 B. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(B):
18 (1) For a student who graduated prior to the 2010-2011 school year, the
19 ACT WorkKeys system is not an alternative assessment for establishing
20 eligibility for a TOPS-Tech Award.
21 (2) For a student who graduated prior to the 2000-2001 school year, the
22 minimum ACT score for a TOPS-Tech Award is nineteen.
23 C. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(A) and (B), a student who graduated
24 after the 2002-2003 school year but prior to the 2006-2007 school year is eligible
25 to receive a Performance Award pursuant to this Chapter if he meets the other
26 requirements of this Chapter and each of the following conditions is met:
27 (1) The student achieved a minimum cumulative high school grade point
28 average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale when calculated in accordance with applicable
29 rules adopted by the administering agency and such calculation is based on ten
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 88
SLS 16RS-288 ORIGINAL
1 or more of the grades being grades for completion of honors curriculum
2 courses, gifted curriculum courses, or advanced placement courses, or any
3 combination of such courses, and the high school awards grades for such
4 courses on a 4.00 scale or higher.
5 (2) The student has a composite score on the 1990 version of the ACT of
6 twenty-four or higher or an equivalent concordant value on any enhanced or
7 revised version of such test or on the SAT.
8 Section 2. R.S. 17:5024(A)(2) and (3)(b), (B)(2), and (C) are hereby repealed.
9 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
10 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
11 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
12 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
13 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SB 88 Original 2016 Regular Session Morrish
Present law provides relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) as a
program of merit scholarships for students attending certain postsecondary education
institutions and who meet specific grade point average (GPA), ACT score, and core
curriculum requirements and certain other qualifications.
Proposed law increases the GPA requirement for initial eligibility for an Opportunity Award
for students graduating from high school during or after the 2019-2020 school year from
2.50 to 2.75.
Present law provides for exceptions to the eligibility requirements for students graduating
from high school in prior years. Proposed law retains these exceptions, but recodifies them
in a new provision of law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:5024(A)(1)(a); adds R.S. 17:5024.1; repeals R.S. 17:5024(A)(2) and
(3)(b), (B)(2), and (C))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.