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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007>FYI -
below is a link to a press release issued today by the State Regents describing
the recent legislative changes to the Oklahoma's Promise scholarship program
(formerly known as OHLAP). I've also copied the full text of the press
release below in case you have problems with the link.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007>Administratively, the two biggest changes are the first
two listed-- a second income limit requirement for students first receiving the
scholarship in college in 2009-10, and a new minimum college GPA requirement
that will also apply to students receiving the scholarship for the first time in
2009-10. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007>The
second income limit will largely apply beginning with the 2009 high
school graduates. Some graduates from earlier years might be impacted if
they delay their initial college entry until 2009. Unfortunately, this
second income requirement was not part of the program agreement the 2009
graduates (approximately 9,000) signed when they enrolled in the 8th, 9th,
or 10th grade. Some 2010 graduates (about 6,000) and
2011 graduates (about 3,000) that applied prior to this year are also in
the position of not having known about these requirements at the time they
applied. Therefore we will be trying to inform all these students that
some of the requirements of the program have changed since they initially
applied.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007>The
new college GPA requirement as mandated in the law appears to be
administratively difficult to calculate. The two GPA's established are not
cumulative, but apply only to specified enrollment periods (2.0 GPA for courses
taken during the sophomore year; 2.5 GPA for courses taken during the junior
year and thereafter).</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007>If you want to read the
actual language of the changes in the bill passed by the Legislature, you can
see the text at <A
href="http://www.sos.state.ok.us/documents/Legislation/51st/2007/1R/SB/820.pdf">http://www.sos.state.ok.us/documents/Legislation/51st/2007/1R/SB/820.pdf</A>
The language on the administrative changes is primarily on pages
19-25.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007>Let me
know if you have questions.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=576483716-18092007><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Bryce Fair</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>Assoc. Vice
Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Phone: (405) 225-9162</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fax:
(405) 225-9230</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>E-mail:
bfair@osrhe.edu</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mailing Address:</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>P.O. Box 108850</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oklahoma City,
OK 73101-8850</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Street Address:</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>655 Research Parkway, Suite 200</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Oklahoma City, OK 73104</FONT> </P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Gaddis, Katharine
<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, September 18, 2007 9:32 AM<BR><B>Subject:</B> State
Scholarship Program Modified by Legislature, Online Applications Encouraged
(State Regents News Release)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT
face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">NEWS
RELEASE</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN
class=600070514-17092007> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT
face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
class=600070514-17092007></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT
face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT face=Arial><FONT
face=Arial> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><B><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></FONT></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate
Release</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
class=878471313-06072007><SPAN class=299200916-10082007><SPAN
class=377192413-17092007>September 1<SPAN
class=817512614-18092007>8</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>, 2007
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Media Contact: Ben
Hardcastle</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Office:
1.405.225.9346 </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Cell:
1.405.640.9672 </FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN><A
title="blocked::mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu"
href="blocked::mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu"><SPAN
title="blocked::mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu"
style="COLOR: black"><FONT
title="blocked::mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu"
face="Times New Roman"
color=#0000ff>bhardcastle@osrhe.edu</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><STRONG><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=center><SPAN><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">State Scholarship Program Modified by
Legislature, Online Applications
Encouraged</SPAN></B></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
class=299200916-10082007> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The
Oklahoma Legislature has made several important modifications to Oklahoma’s
Promise, one of Oklahoma’s most popular scholarship programs. Officials are
working to inform students, parents and counselors about the changes and
encouraging students to apply online.</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007>.. </SPAN><SPAN
class=518400916-25072007> </SPAN> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV><O:P><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007></SPAN><o:p>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" align=left><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">View entire release online at
</SPAN></SPAN></o:p><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007><SPAN
class=377192413-17092007><A
title="http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/pfc-2007.html http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/hale.html"
href="http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/okpromise2007legislation.html"><FONT
title="http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/pfc-2007.html http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/hale.html"
color=#000000>http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/<SPAN
class=817512614-18092007>okpromise2007legislation</SPAN>.html</FONT></A>. <BR></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" align=left><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007><SPAN
class=377192413-17092007><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007> </SPAN><SPAN
class=576483716-18092007> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" align=left><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007><SPAN
class=377192413-17092007><SPAN class=576483716-18092007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff
size=2>==========================</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" align=left><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN class=518400916-25072007><SPAN
class=377192413-17092007><SPAN class=576483716-18092007><SPAN
class=parheader>September 18, 2007 :: State Scholarship Program Modified by
Legislature, Online Applications Encouraged</SPAN><!-- InstanceEndEditable -->
<BR><BR>Media Contact: Ben Hardcastle<BR>Office: 1.405.225.9346<BR>Mobile:
1.405.640.9672<BR><A
href="mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu">bhardcastle@osrhe.edu</A> <BR><BR><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Insert article main body here" --></P>
<P>The Oklahoma Legislature has made several important modifications to
Oklahoma’s Promise, one of Oklahoma’s most popular scholarship programs.
Officials are working to inform students, parents and counselors about the
changes and encouraging students to apply online.<BR><BR>Approximately half of
Oklahoma’s students are eligible to apply for Oklahoma’s Promise, a scholarship
that allows high school students from families whose annual income is $50,000 or
less to earn free college tuition. To date, more than 75,000 students have
enrolled in the program.<BR><BR>The scholarship program was formerly known as
the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program or OHLAP, and was created in 1992 by
the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college.
Its goal is to prepare students academically for college and to provide them
financial assistance. <BR><BR>“Oklahoma’s Promise has been a key component of
our efforts to produce more college graduates in Oklahoma,” said Chancellor Glen
D. Johnson. “Thousands of Oklahoma students can be positively impacted based on
this promise: They promise to prepare for college, and the state of Oklahoma
promises the opportunity to earn free college tuition.”<BR><BR>Currently, to be
eligible for Oklahoma’s Promise, students must apply during the eighth, ninth or
10th grade, and their annual family income must not exceed $50,000 at the time
of application. By the time they graduate high school, students must achieve a
minimum 2.5 (C+) grade point average in 17 core courses that prepare them for
college and also must achieve at least a 2.5 GPA for all courses in grades nine
through 12. Students also must attend class regularly and refrain from drug and
alcohol abuse and delinquent acts.<BR><BR>The Legislature approved a significant
change to funding for Oklahoma’s Promise. Beginning in 2008-09, the scholarship
program will have a permanent, dedicated funding source from the state’s general
revenue fund. This means the program will be fully funded each year from a
stable source of revenue. <BR><BR>“The permanent funding should assure Oklahoma
families that this scholarship can be a dependable foundation of their
children’s college plans,” Johnson said. <BR><BR>Other changes to the state
scholarship program include:
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Second Income Limit Requirement:</SPAN> Beginning
with Oklahoma’s Promise college students receiving the scholarship for the
first time in 2009-10, families will be subject to a second income limit
requirement. Students will not receive the scholarship if their families’
income exceeds $100,000 at the time the student goes to college.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Minimum College GPA Requirement:</SPAN> Also
effective for students receiving the award for the first time in 2009-10, a
minimum college GPA of 2.0 will be required for courses taken during the
sophomore year and a minimum 2.5 GPA for courses taken during the junior and
senior years.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Homeschool Student Eligibility:</SPAN> Homeschool
students are now eligible for the scholarship. They must sign up while they
are ages 13 to 15 and must achieve a 22 score on the ACT.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>College Conduct Requirement:</SPAN> Effective Jan.
1, 2008, an Oklahoma’s Promise college student that is suspended for more than
one semester for conduct reasons will lose the scholarship permanently.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Immigration Status:</SPAN> Beginning with students
applying for the program in 2007-08, students must be U.S. citizens or
lawfully present in the United States to receive the award in college.
Undocumented immigrant students can still enroll in the program in the eighth,
ninth, or 10th grade but must attain lawful status before they can actually
receive the award. </LI></UL>
<P>The fastest and most secure way to apply for Oklahoma’s Promise is online at
<A href="http://www.okpromise.org/">www.okpromise.org</A>. Students can also get
applications and flyers about the scholarship from school counselors. Oklahoma’s
Promise officials have mailed more than 150,000 flyers to counselors
statewide.<BR><BR>Students, parents and counselors can also get more information
about Oklahoma’s Promise by visiting <A
href="http://www.okpromise.org/">www.okpromise.org</A>, by e-mailing <A
href="mailto:okpromise@osrhe.edu">okpromise@osrhe.edu</A> or by calling (800)
858-1840.</P>
<P><SPAN class=italictextsm>Editors note: OHLAP (Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
Program) is now known as Oklahoma’s Promise</SPAN>.</P>
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