The implications of H6677 extend to the management and administration of postsecondary education scholarships within the state. By defining scholarships received from the College Crusade as separate from federal or financial aid, the bill supports the scholarship's integrity and encourages student participation in the program. Additionally, it provides local education agencies (LEAs) with the responsibility of granting access to essential data, which can enhance the support services available to scholarship recipients, focusing on metrics critical to college readiness.
Summary
House Bill H6677, titled 'The College Crusade Scholarship,' aims to amend existing legislation related to education by specifically addressing the College Crusade Scholarship Program in Rhode Island. The bill introduces provisions that clarify the nature of scholarships awarded through this program, ensuring that they will not be classified as financial aid under the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship framework. This distinction is crucial as it allows participants to receive support without affecting their eligibility for other forms of financial assistance.
Contention
While the bill aims to refine operations within the College Crusade Scholarship framework, it could raise concerns regarding data privacy and the extent of access provided to educational organizations. The access to individual-level student data is intended to improve program effectiveness but may lead to discussions about the balance between necessary data utilization and student privacy rights. Additionally, stakeholders in the educational sector may debate the implications of classifying scholarships differently, potentially impacting broader financial aid strategies and resources available to students.
Changes the name of The College Crusade Scholarship to the Onward We Learn Scholarship and provide that those scholarships would not be considered federal or financial aid with regard to the Promise Scholarship or Hope Scholarship Pilot Program.
Changes the name of The College Crusade Scholarship to the Onward We Learn Scholarship and provide that those scholarships would not be considered federal or financial aid with regard to the Promise Scholarship or Hope Scholarship Pilot Program.
To create the Alabama Fits All Scholarship Program; require the State Board of Education to contract with a program manager to administer the program; to authorize the program manager to establish scholarship accounts on behalf of eligible students; to prohibit a program manager from accepting scholarship funds in certain circumstances; to require fiscal safeguards and accountability measures; to require eligible schools and service providers to meet certain standards to be eligible to receive scholarship funds; to authorize the program manager to distribute scholarship funds; to require the State Board of Education to provide limited oversight of the program manager, including an appeal process for the program manager's administrative decisions; to prohibit certain regulations of eligible schools and eligible service providers; to require criminal history background information checks for employees and officers of a program manager; to provide for program funding; and to require the program manager and the board to submit reports on the program to the Legislature.