A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-104-20, RELATING TO THE PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, SO AS TO ADD THE CLASSIC LEARNING TEST AS AN APPROVED ASSESSMENT FOR RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIPS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-149-50, RELATING TO THE LIFE SCHOLARSHIP, SO AS TO AMEND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR A LIFE SCHOLARSHIP TO INCLUDE ACT AND CLT SCORES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-26-20, RELATING TO THE DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, SO AS TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "TALENTED AND QUALIFIED RESIDENT" TO INCLUDE ACT AND CLT SCORES.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Section 59-104-20(G) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (G) In addition to qualifications established by regulation, to qualify for a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, a student shall:

       (1) meet the following three criteria:

           (a) a minimum score of 1200 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or an equivalent ACT or Classic Learning Test (CLT) score;

           (b) a cumulative 3.5 grade point ratio on the Uniform Grading Scale at the end of the junior or senior year;  and

           (c) rank in the top six percent of the class at the end of the sophomore, junior, or senior year. When calculating eligibility for Palmetto Fellows Scholarships in schools where the top six percent of the graduating class is two students or less, the top two students must be considered for the scholarship regardless of class rank. The top six percent of the graduating class must meet all Palmetto Fellows Scholarship eligibility requirements in order to receive a scholarship. If the top six percent of the class is not a whole number of students, the Commission on Higher Education shall round up to the next whole number of students eligible;  or

       (2) meet the following two criteria:

           (a) a minimum score of 1400 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or an equivalent ACT or CLT score;  and

           (b) a cumulative 4.0 grade point ratio on the Uniform Grading Scale at the end of the junior or senior year.

       (3) Qualifying scores must be certified by the high school on the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship application by the scholarship application deadline. For the purposes of meeting the rank criteria pursuant to this subsection, the existing high school rank of a South Carolina resident attending an out-of-state high school may be used provided it is calculated pursuant to a state-approved, standardized grading scale at the respective out-of-state high school. If the Commission on Higher Education determines that a state-approved standardized grading scale substantially deviates from the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale, the state-approved standardized grading scale shall not be used to meet the eligibility requirements for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

 

SECTION 2.  Sections 59-149-50(A)(1) and (D) through (G) of the S.C. Code are amended to read:

 

    Section 59-149-50. (A)(1) To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, a student must be either a student who has graduated from a high school located in this State, a student who has completed at least three of the final four years of high school within this State, a home school student who has successfully completed a high school home school program in this State in the manner required by law, a student who has graduated from a preparatory high school outside this State, while a dependent of a parent or guardian who is a legal resident of this State and has custody of the dependent, or a student whose parent or guardian has served in or has retired from one of the United States Armed Forces within the last four years, paid income taxes in this State for a majority of the years of service, and is a resident of this State.  These students also must meet the requirements of subsection (B) and be eligible for in-state tuition and fees as determined pursuant to Chapter 112, Title 59 and applicable regulations.  In addition, the student must have graduated from high school with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade average on a 4.0 scale and, subject to modification as provided in item (2), have scored 1100 or better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or have the equivalent ACT or CLT score as determined by the Commission on Higher Education;  provided that, if the student is to attend such a public or independent two-year college or university in this State, including a technical college, the SAT/ACT/CLT requirement does not apply.  If a student chooses to attend such a public or independent institution of this State and does not make the required SAT/ACT/CLT score or the required high school grade point average, as applicable, then the student may earn a LIFE Scholarship after his freshman year if he meets the grade point average and semester credit hour requirements of subsection (B).  For the purpose of meeting the rank criteria pursuant to this section, the existing high school rank of a South Carolina resident attending an out-of-state high school may be used provided it is calculated pursuant to a state-approved, standardized grading scale at the respective out-of-state high school.  If the Commission on Higher Education determines that a state-approved standardized grading scale substantially deviates from the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale, then the state-approved standardized grading scale shall not be used to meet the eligibility requirements for the LIFE Scholarship.

    (D) Beginning with school year 2002-2003, an entering freshman at a four-year institution to be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship in addition to the other requirements of this chapter shall meet two of the following three criteria:

       (1) have the grade point average required by this section;

       (2) have the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or equivalent ACT, or equivalent CLT score required by this section;

       (3) be in the top thirty percent of his high school graduating class.

    (E) For home school students and students whose high school graduating class is less than fifty students, the Commission on Higher Education may define alternative criteria for students to meet the requirement of item (D)(3).

    (F) After receipt of a LIFE Scholarship by an entering freshman beginning with school year 2002-2003, a student shall meet the criteria established in this chapter to retain or regain the scholarship.

    (G) For an exceptionally gifted student who is accepted into college without having attended high school, the Commission on Higher Education shall define alternative criteria for the student to qualify for a LIFE Scholarship.

 

SECTION 3.  Section 59-26-20(n) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (n) the Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the State Department of Education and the staff of the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation, shall develop a Governor's Teaching Scholarship Loan Program to provide talented and qualified state residents loans not to exceed five thousand dollars a year to attend public or private colleges and universities for the purpose of becoming certified teachers employed in the public schools of this State.  The recipient of a loan is entitled to have up to one hundred percent of the amount of the loan plus the interest on the loan canceled if he becomes certified and teaches in the public schools of this State for at least five years.  The loan is canceled at the rate of twenty percent of the total principal amount of the loan plus interest on the unpaid balance for each complete year of teaching service in a public school.  However, beginning July 1, 1990, the loan is canceled at the rate of thirty-three and one-third percent of the total principal amount of the loan plus interest on the unpaid balance for each complete year of teaching service in both an academic critical need area and a geographic need area as defined annually by the State Board of Education.  In case of failure to make a scheduled repayment of any installment, failure to apply for cancellation or deferment of the loan on time, or noncompliance by a borrower with the purpose of the loan, the entire unpaid indebtedness plus interest is, at the option of the commission, immediately due and payable.  The recipient shall execute the necessary legal documents to reflect his obligation and the terms and conditions of the loan.  The loan program must be administered by the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation.  Funds generated from repayments to the loan program must be retained in a separate account and utilized as a revolving account for the purpose of making additional loans.  Appropriations for loans and administrative costs must come from the Education Improvement Act of 1984 Fund, on the recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education to the State Treasurer, for use by the corporation.  The Education Oversight Committee shall review this scholarship loan program annually and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly.  For purposes of this item, a 'talented and qualified state resident' includes freshmen students who graduate in the top ten percentile of their high school class, or who receive a combined verbal plus mathematics Scholastic Aptitude Test score of at least eleven hundred, or an equivalent ACT or CLT score, and enrolled students who have completed one year (two semesters or the equivalent) of collegiate work and who have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.  To remain eligible for the loan while in college, the student must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

 

SECTION 4.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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