RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 346 (HB 870) 2020 Regular Session Garofalo
Existing law provides for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), a merit-
based postsecondary education scholarship program. Provides eligibility criteria for the
initial awarding of a scholarship to a student and for retaining the scholarship from one
semester to the next. Provides that the program is administered by the Bd. of Regents (the
administering agency).
TOPS eligibility for students impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency
New law modifies initial eligibility requirements for a TOPS award as follows:
(1)Existing administrative rule provides that the deadline for taking the ACT or SAT is
April. New law provides that the deadline for an award in the 2020-2021 academic
year is Sept. 30, 2020.
Existing law provides that a student loses a semester of eligibility if he is late
qualifying. New law prohibits the administering agency from reducing the period of
eligibility for a student who qualifies under this extended deadline.
(2)Existing administrative rule of the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education
provides for a high school career and technical education program known as Jump
Start. Existing law provides for consideration of Jump Start education credits in
determining the initial eligibility of a student for a TOPS-Tech Award. New law
provides that if any Jump Start requirement was waived by a high school for
graduation purposes, it shall also be waived for TOPS-Tech eligibility purposes.
(3)Existing law provides specific initial eligibility requirements for students who
complete a home study program. New law authorizes the administering agency to
waive such home study requirements if it determines that a student's failure to meet
them was, more likely than not, due solely to measures taken to limit the spread of
COVID-19.
New law, applicable to the 2019-2020 academic year, modifies continuing eligibility
requirements for a TOPS award as follows:
(1)Waives requirements for steady academic progress and for the achievement of a
certain cumulative grade point average (GPA).
(2)Existing law provides for the possibility of reinstatement of an award that was
suspended because of the student's GPA or his failure to make steady academic
progress. Generally provides that a student has two years to recover a TOPS award
and one year to recover a TOPS-Tech Award. New law extends the time a student
has to recover a suspended award by one semester for each semester he is unable to
enroll or complete due to measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.
(3)Authorizes the administering agency to waive other existing law provisions if it
determines that a student's failure to comply is, more likely than not, due solely to
measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Performance and Honors Awards, eligibility
Existing law provides for an increase in the minimum cumulative GPA for initial eligibility
for both a Performance and an Honors Award (these awards include a cash stipend on top
of the baseline tuition award). Increases the GPA for initial eligibility for a Performance
Award from 3.00 to 3.25 and for an Honors Award from 3.00 to 3.50.
Prior law provided that the higher GPA requirements were first applicable to students
graduating from high school in the 2020-2021 school year. New law delays the initial
applicability of the higher GPA requirements for one year; they are first applicable to
students graduating in the 2021-2022 school year. Effective Aug. 1, 2020.
(Amends R.S. 17:5024(A)(2)(c); Adds R.S. 17:5103)