[Ohlap-k12-counselors] Proposed Policy Changes for Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP

[Alexander, Carol]

To School Counselors:

Some policy changes are being considered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for the Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP scholarship program. Following is a very brief description of the rule changes.  More detail is provided in the link below:

*	For the purpose of calculating required grade point averages (GPA) for OKPromise-OHLAP participants, all courses except fine arts or speech courses that are transcripted with a pass/fail grade would be assigned a grade level of "D" or the lowest passing grade assigned by the high school.  [Please be aware that the General Counsel for the State Regents (our chief attorney) has alternatively recommended that the policy should reflect the position that unless the school provides a letter/numerical grade for a course, the State Regents would be unable to accept pass/fail grades/courses for the purposes of meeting the GPA and curricular requirements of OKPromise-OHLAP.  If this position is adopted, it would replace the language in the proposed policy change.]

*	The fine arts curricular requirement for Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP may be satisfied through a "set of competencies" as defined by the high school and consistent with state law.

*	Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP applications mailed by individuals to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education must be postmarked no later than June 30.  This amendment further clarifies current administrative practice.

*	To be eligible for the Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP scholarship, participating students must be residents of Oklahoma both at the time of application to the program and at the time the student graduates from high school.

*	The Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP award paid to students attending private/independent institutions or career-technology centers will be based on the average undergraduate tuition at comparable state system colleges and universities.  This amendment further clarifies current administrative practice.

The proposed changes were "posted" (no action was taken) at the State Regents' Dec. 5, 2006 meeting and are now open to public comment through March 5. You can view the agenda item (which has more detail) and the full text of the proposed changes on pages 63-70 of the online agenda at: http://www.okhighered.org/state-system/pdf/2006-12-agendamaster-public.pdf 

The rule change goes through the state's formal Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process. We expect the State Regents to take possible action on the proposed changes at their March 15 meeting. If approved by the State Regents, the changes would then be subject to approval by the Oklahoma Legislature and Governor.

If you have any questions about the proposed changes, feel free to contact Carol Alexander at calexander at osrhe.edu.

If you would like to formally submit comments about the rule changes by March 5, please send them to:
Nancy E. Connally, Assistant General Counsel, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, 655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104; or via e-mail to nconnally at osrhe.edu by 5:00 p.m., March 5, 2007.

Also attached below is the formal APA "Notice of Intent" form that provides a brief summary of the changes and the official contact information.


 <<NoticeOfIntentOHLAP07.doc>> 


Carol Alexander
Scholarship Coordinator
Oklahoma's Promise - OHLAP
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

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