Section 173.239

Title XI EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES

Chapter 173

Effective - 28 Aug 2024, 3 histories   

  173.239.  National Guard member educational assistance, qualifications — limits — application procedure — probation, ineligibility — administration. — 1.  Any member of the Missouri National Guard who possesses the qualifications set forth in this section may, while he or she is a member of the Missouri National Guard, be awarded educational assistance in the form of:

  (1)  A tuition and fee waiver for undergraduate courses at a postsecondary institution of higher education located in this state that directly receives funds appropriated by the general assembly.  This tuition and fee waiver shall not be implemented prior to the 2025-26 academic year.  The tuition and fee waiver shall be only for tuition and fees that remain after the application of all payments from a tuition assistance program of the National Guard, Army, or Air Force; additional federal military tuition assistance; GI Bill educational entitlements; awarded external scholarships; and federal financial grants, including the Pell grant, that are available to the member in the current semester.  For purposes of this section, "fee" or "fees" mean any mandatory fees charged by an institution to all full-time students as a condition of enrollment; or

  (2)  A grant to an eligible institution of his or her choice.  For purposes of this subdivision, the term "eligible institution" shall mean:

  (a)  An approved public institution or an approved private institution, as those terms are defined in section 173.1102; or

  (b)  Any institution of postsecondary education that is required by law to be, and currently is, certified to operate by the coordinating board for higher education; that is institutionally accredited by an accrediting commission recognized by the United States Department of Education; that has operated continuously in this state for five or more years; that has no more than fifty percent of its students in correspondence programs; and that offers a one-year or two-year certificate, associate or baccalaureate degree programs, or graduate or professional degree programs.

  2.  (1)  Educational assistance provided under this section shall not exceed the lesser of the following:

  (a)  The actual tuition, as defined in section 173.260, charged at an approved institution where the member is enrolled or accepted for enrollment; or

  (b)  The product of the number of credit hours taken multiplied by the average tuition cost per credit hour charged to a Missouri resident at the University of Missouri for attendance, with such average cost determined by the Missouri National Guard.

  (2)  The grants provided under this section may be prorated subject to appropriations in an amount no less than fifty percent of the limits set forth in this subsection.

  3.  (1)  For either type of educational assistance described in this section, a member of the Missouri National Guard  may apply to the appropriate office of the Missouri National Guard before each semester.  The member shall:

  (a)  Provide a certificate of satisfactory service of his or her Missouri National Guard duties from his or her commanding officer;

  (b)  Possess all other necessary entrance requirements of the school of his or her choice;

  (c)  Provide proof of maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least two point five on a four-point scale, or the equivalent on another scale approved by the program administrator, while attending the approved public or private institution;

  (d)  Have not yet earned a bachelor's degree; and

  (e)  Have completed and submitted a FAFSA for the academic term for which educational assistance is requested.

  (2)  For the tuition and fee waiver, the waiver shall be awarded if the member applies and is otherwise eligible pursuant to this section, but the waiver shall be awarded only after the Missouri National Guard has distributed any moneys available for the member through the state tuition assistance program.

  4.  If the grade point average of a member who is receiving educational assistance pursuant to this section falls below two point five on a  four-point scale, or the equivalent on another scale, such member shall retain the educational assistance and shall be placed on probation under the educational assistance program.  Failure to achieve a current grade point average of at least two point five on a four-point scale or the equivalent on another scale for future semesters or equivalent academic terms shall result in termination of the educational assistance effective as of the next academic term.  The member shall be removed from probation status upon achieving a cumulative grade point average of two point five on a four-point scale or the equivalent on another scale.

  5.  For the tuition and fee waiver, an applicant shall cease to be eligible if the total number of credit hours completed by the applicant exceeds one hundred twenty.  Credit hours earned with the educational assistance described in this section and credit hours earned without the educational assistance described in this section shall be counted to determine the total number of credit hours completed by an applicant for purposes of this subsection.

  6.  The tuition and fee waiver shall not be available in any fiscal year in which the percent of total program costs covered by the state appropriation for the educational assistance provided pursuant to this section has decreased compared to the previous fiscal year.

  7.  If a recipient of either type of educational assistance pursuant to this section ceases to maintain their active military affiliation while enrolled in an academic semester or term for any reason except death, disability, or medical disqualification the educational assistance shall be terminated and the recipient shall repay any amounts awarded or waived for the academic semester or term.

  8.  The educational assistance program established pursuant to this section shall be administered by the office of the adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard.  The Missouri National Guard shall establish guidelines for equitable administrative distribution of educational assistance.

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(L. 1994 S.B. 583 § 1, A.L. 1995 S.B. 385, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1519 & 1165, A.L. 2000 S.B. 961, A.L. 2005 H.B. 437, A.L. 2006 S.B. 701 & 948, A.L. 2024 S.B. 912)

CROSS REFERENCE:

Missouri National Guard trust fund, disbursements for scholarships, when, 41.214