A+ Program
What is the A+ Program?
The A+ Program provides for curriculum development in high schools, including courses that allow students to apply what they learn through tutoring and job shadowing experiences. High school students are encouraged to have good grades, high attendance and engage in civically responsible behavior to prepare them for college. Possibly the most important part of the A+ Program is the financial incentive available to students for continuing their education after high school. During college, the A+ program encourages good grades and successful completion of a college degree, while incurring minimal to no debt. The A+ program is a wonderful program for our Missouri students!
Your Tuition is Covered
The A+ program will pay your tuition (maximum of $158.00 per credit hour) to any Missouri public community college, career, or technical school as long as you enroll full-time within 48 months after graduation from high school.
A+ and Classes
A+ allows students to take coursework while having their tuition covered. A 2.5 GPA must be maintained each semester and students must be seeking a degree while enrolled full-time. Please note that any courses taken that are given “pass/fail” grades will not count toward a student’s GPA. Any remaining letter-grade classes must result in a 2.5 GPA to remain eligible. The A+ Eligibility Worksheet provides additional information that students will find helpful.
A+ Requirements
A student who qualifies, according to the criteria below, and continues an education at a Missouri public community college or vocational/technical school may be eligible for state reimbursed tuition, fees, and up to 50% of the cost of books, subject to legislative appropriations, for up to two (2) years.
The following eligibility provisions for the A+ program are established in the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 and say that the student(s) must:
Attend a designated A+ School for three (3) consecutive years prior to graduation
Graduate from high school with at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 GPA scale
Have at least 95% attendance record for the four (4) year period prior to graduation
Perform fifty (50) hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring for younger students
Maintain a record of good citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs
Make a documented, good faith effort to secure all available federal post-secondary students financial assistance funds that do not require repayment (FAFSA)
Register for the Selective Service, if applicable (males)
Score at a level of Advanced or Proficient on the Algebra I End of Course Exam (Starting with the graduating class of 2015)
The student’s financial incentive may be available, providing state funding is available, for a period of two (2) years during the four (4) years following the student’s high school graduation. The tuition incentive may only be available to reimburse the unpaid balance of the cost of tuition, fees, and up to 50% of the cost of books, subject to legislative appropriation. To maintain eligibility during that time, each participating student must enroll at and attend a Missouri public community college or vocational/technical school on a full-time basis, and must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
For more information contact Jayla Smith, at (660) 684-6116.