[Oasfaa] update - state issues related to Academic Competitiveness Grants

[Fair, Bryce]

Following are a couple of updates on state issues related to the new Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG):


*	High school curriculum requirements for ACG -- As you are aware, the USDE identified in their May 2 letter and attachment [http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/GEN0608Attach.doc] four curricular options to meet this requirement for the ACG.  The letter also allowed each state to submit a request for other curriculums to be considered by the USDE.  The requests must come from the State Education Agency (in Oklahoma, this is the State Department of Education) and be submitted by June 1.  We have worked with the office of State Superintendent Sandy Garrett and she has submitted a letter to the USDE requesting that the OHLAP curriculum also be recognized for purposes of meeting the high school curricular requirements for the ACG.  We will let you know as soon as we hear any response from the USDE.


*	Concurrent enrollment -- The attached document was issued Wednesday, May 24, by the US Department of Education and clarifies that the Department has changed an earlier interpretation that students who were concurrently enrolled in college courses while in high school (called "dual enrollment" in the document) would not be eligible for the new Academic Competitiveness Grants.  This new document states that as long as the high school students are not admitted as "regular students" into a formal postsecondary program of study leading to a degree, certificate or other credential, they are eligible for the first-year ACG.

This new interpretation by the USDE is consistent with the State Regents' policy on concurrent enrollment for state system institutions in Oklahoma.  Under the State Regents' policy, concurrently enrolled students are considered to be "admitted provisionally...as a special student," not as a regular student.  Consequently, students taking concurrent enrollment courses at state colleges and universities in Oklahoma are not disqualified from eligibility for the ACG.
 
	The change of interpretation had been requested by the National Governors Association (NGA) last week.  The NGA issued a press release yesterday praising the USDE's quick action on the request (see http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.6c9a8a9ebc6ae07eee28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=d4c6aeb76f76b010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD )



 <<Dual Enrollment Questions.pdf>> 



Bryce Fair 
Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants 
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 
Phone:  (405) 225-9162 
Fax:  (405) 225-9230 
E-mail:  bfair at osrhe.edu 

Mailing Address: 
P.O. Box 108850 
Oklahoma City, OK  73101-8850 

Street Address: 
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200 
Oklahoma City, OK  73104 
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