A+ Program

Missouri State A+ PROGRAM

We are proud to say that Hillsboro High School was certified as an A+ School in the Spring of 2001. The Missouri A+ Schools Program requires Hillsboro High School to guide students in a rigorous program of academic and technical education that will prepare them for the workplace, post-secondary vocational-technical training, or college.

A student who qualifies according to the following criteria and continues an education at a Missouri public community college or vocational-technical school is eligible for state reimbursed tuition and general fees for up to two years.

A+ Information for Participating Post-secondary Schools

The A+ Scholarship Program provides scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools who attend a participating public community college or vocational/technical school, or certain private two-year vocational/technical schools. The information on this page is effective for the 2016-17 academic year, unless otherwise noted.

Legislation passed in 2016 expanded the A+ Program to non-public high schools. To participate in A+, non-public high schools must complete an A+ Schools Program Designation Checklist and submit a Notification of Assurances for A+ High Schools to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and be designated by the State Board of Education. The application deadline is February 1, 2017, to be designated in the 2016-2017 academic year. 2017 high school seniors graduating from non-public high schools designated in 2016-2017 may be eligible for the A+ Scholarship during the 2017-2018 academic year if they meet all of the eligibility criteria for high school students described below prior to graduation.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for assistance as a high school student, you must meet the following requirements:

Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Enter into a written agreement with your high school prior to graduation.
Attend a designated A+ high school for 3 years immediately prior to graduation.*
Graduate with an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Have at least a 95% attendance record overall for grades 9-12.
Perform at least 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring, of which up to 25% may include job shadowing prior to graduation. **
Maintain a record of good citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol while in grades 9-12.
Have achieved a score of proficient or advanced on the Algebra I end of course exam or a higher level DESE approved end-of-course exam in the field of mathematics.***

* If one of your parents is a member of the military on active duty or has retired from the military and relocated to Missouri within one year of their retirement, you are exempt from this requirement. However, you must attend an A+ designated high school in the school year immediately preceding graduation and meet all of the other high school eligibility requirements.

** High school policy may allow this criterion to be met up to 6 months beyond high school graduation in exceptional circumstances. Check with your high school’s A+ coordinator to see if this is an option.

*** 2018 High School seniors - If you meet all of the eligibility requirements except the end of course exam requirement, you may establish eligibility by achieving a combined ACT math subscore and high school GPA in accordance with the following scale. You may achieve the qualifying score as a high school or post-secondary student. If you achieve the score as a post-secondary student you may be eligible for an award in the same term that you take the test.

ACT Math Score High School GPA

17 or greater and 2.5 or greater

16 and 2.8 or greater

15 and 3.0 or greater

2017 High School Seniors - If you meet all of the eligibility requirements except the end of course exam requirement, you may establish eligibility by achieving a qualifying score on the COMPASS exam published by ACT, Inc. or have a combined ACT math subscore and high school GPA in accordance with the following scale. You may achieve the qualifying score as a high school or post-secondary student. If you achieve the score as a post-secondary student you may be eligible for an award in the same term that you take the test.

Exam Minimum Score

COMPASS Pre-Algebra 43

COMPASS Algebra 1

ACT Math Score High School GPA

17 or greater and 2.5 to 2.79

16 and 2.8 to 2.99

15 and 3.0 or greater

How much can I receive?

The scholarship will reimburse, within the limits described in the following paragraph, the unpaid balance of your tuition and general fees after all available, non-loan federal financial assistance, such as the federal Pell grant, has been applied to your account. This may result in a zero award if your Pell grant is sufficient to cover all tuition and general fee charges. General fees are fees that are charged to all students and do not include fees specific to an individual program or group of students.

The tuition amount eligible for reimbursement is capped at the published standard per credit hour tuition rate charged by State Technical College of Missouri. The reimbursement cap is subject to change annually as tuition rates change. The maximum reimbursement rate is announced in late spring or early summer each year. For the 2017-18 academic year, the maximum rate is $166.00 per credit hour or $4.50 per clock-hour.

The amount reimbursed may be reduced if there are insufficient state appropriations. The following factors may also affect the amount you are eligible to receive:

Reimbursement will be made for completed coursework, including remedial coursework, for which a standard grade was assigned and that is required by your school for the completion of the degree or certificate. For A+ Scholarship purposes, a grade of Incomplete is considered a standard grade.
Coursework that is part of a higher level certificate or degree program taken after receipt of a certificate will be reimbursed if it is related to the original certificate.
The amount of reimbursement paid for coursework for which a standard grade was not assigned (dropped coursework), including coursework from which you officially or unofficially withdrew, will not be reimbursed if you complete 12 semester credit hours (6 in summer). Dropped coursework will be reimbursed if you complete fewer than 12 semester credit hours (6 in summer) because you will be ineligible for A+ until the dropped hours are completed. For example, if you enroll in 15 hours but only complete 12, A+ will not pay for the 3 hours that were dropped. If you enroll in 15 hours but only complete 9, A+ will pay for all 15 hours but you will be ineligible for A+ until you have completed at least 3 hours (9+3=12 hour completion requirement).
Repeat coursework, which includes courses for which you have already received a grade (including a failing grade), will not be reimbursed.

How can I apply?

You do not have to complete a paper A+ Scholarship application for the MDHE. Check with your community college or vocational/technical school to see what materials they require in order to confirm your A+ eligibility. In most cases your school will require at least an A+ seal/stamp on your high school transcript.

In addition, you must complete the FAFSA each year. If you are attending a school that does not participate in Title IV programs you must complete the FAFSA4caster, which is a tool for estimating your level of need for federal financial aid.

The MDHE receives electronic FAFSA records for Missouri residents directly from the federal government. Late filing may jeopardize your payment as well as eligibility for other state aid programs.

For the summer term, check with the school you are attending to see which academic year (July 1 to June 30) contains the summer term. For example, if the 2017 summer term is part of the upcoming academic year (called a “header”), you would need to file a 2017-18 FAFSA in order to receive a summer award. If the 2017 summer term is part of the prior academic year (called a “trailer”), a 2016-17 FAFSA is required.

Although you must file a FAFSA for the correct academic year based on your school’s academic year, the MDHE will always provide funding for the summer term after July 1, even if your school considers summer to be a trailer to the previous academic year.

How will I know if I am eligible?

The MDHE does not provide notice to students of eligibility. Contact your high school A+ Coordinator for your eligibility status based on the high school eligibility criteria. Contact the financial aid office at the school you attend for your postsecondary eligibility status.

How will I receive my award?

Your community college or vocational/technical school will submit a reimbursement request to the MDHE by the deadlines established for each term (summer, fall and spring). The MDHE will then disburse the funds to the school and the school will apply the funds to your account.

How long can I receive an award?

Your eligibility expires when the earliest of the following occurs:

48 months after the graduation date documented on your high school transcript.
Receipt of an associate’s degree
Completion of 105% of the hours required for the program in which you are currently enrolled

105% includes the following:

All hours, including developmental/remedial hours, taken at your current A+ eligible school
All known hours, including developmental/remedial hours, taken at any other A+ eligible school
Hours taken at any non-eligible A+ school, including out-of-state schools, that your current school accepts in transfer

105% excludes the following:

Hours earned for work performed before high school graduation, including (but not limited to): dual credit, dual enrollment, technical education articulation, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate
Hours from a non-eligible school not accepted in transfer by your current school

If you complete a certificate and progress to a higher-level certificate or degree in a related field, the 105% calculation will include:

Hours earned at any institution (A+ eligible or non-eligible) prior to receipt of the initial certificate that transfer into the new program
Hours taken at any A+ eligible school, including your current school, after receipt of the initial certificate. This includes any developmental/remedial hours completed.
Hours taken at any non-eligible A+ school, including out-of-state schools, after receipt of the initial certificate and that your current school accepts in transfer.

After receipt of an initial certificate, the 105% will not include:

Hours earned for work performed before high school graduation, including (but not limited to): dual credit, dual enrollment, technical education articulation, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate
Hours completed at any institution (A+ eligible or non-eligible) before receipt of the initial certificate that do not transfer into the new program.
Hours taken at any non-eligible A+ school, including out-of-state schools, after receipt of the initial certificate and that your current school does not accept in transfer.

How do I renew my award?

You may renew your award annually.

To renew, initial students must:

Achieve a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average by the end of the fall term.
Complete at least 12 credit hours in each fall and spring term in which you receive an A+ award (6 credit hours in summer).
Achieve a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average by the end of the spring term.

To renew, renewal students must:

Complete the FAFSA, or FAFSA4caster if applicable, each year in order to make a good faith effort to secure a Pell grant or other federal aid
Maintain a 2.5 grade point average and otherwise maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school
Complete at least 12 credit hours in each fall and spring term in which you receive an A+ award (6 credit hours in summer).

If you fail to meet the renewal criteria, you may receive the award in the term following the school’s determination that the standard has been regained. Schools have different policies for how frequently they monitor satisfactory academic progress. You will need to check with your school to determine when your award might be reinstated.

How do I transfer my award?

If you choose to transfer to a different participating Missouri school, either between academic years or semesters, you must contact the MDHE at (800) 473-6757, option 4. Failure to notify the MDHE of the transfer may reduce the total amount you receive under the scholarship.

Can the scholarship be deferred?

If you are unable to attend school due to active duty service to any branch of the armed forces of the United States, you may qualify for a deferment of your scholarship eligibility. The deferment will ensure you receive 48 months of eligibility (see “How long can I receive an award?” above). You must return to full-time status within 12 months of the end of your military service and provide a copy of your DD214 to verify the length of your service in order to resume your eligibility.

To defer your eligibility you must submit a written request to:

Missouri Department of Higher Education

ATTN: A+

P.O. Box 1469

Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469

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