July 2008

Guidance for Implementation of Missouri Returning Heroes' Act

After it was announced in last month's Digest that creation of the Missouri Returning Heroes' Act would restrict tuition to $50 per credit hour for certain combat veterans at Missouri public institutions of higher education, the MDHE has received numerous inquiries about how to correctly implement this new requirement. To help answer your questions, clarification about the new Missouri Returning Heroes' Act is now available via the MDHE Web site.

Frequently asked questions and helpful responses about the Act have been compiled into an easy-to-follow Q&A format. The document addresses timelines, combat service, residency, other financial assistance considerations, grade point average, clock hours versus credit hours, and other critical components. It will be updated with any additional information received by the MDHE.

In addition, a sample veteran discharge form, a list of designated combat zones, and examples of combat service medals are provided.

The Missouri Veterans' Commission is also an additional resource for schools when trying to establish eligibility. While the Veterans' Commission cannot make eligibility determinations, they can provide information about available documentation and interpretation of the information relating to a veteran's military service.

If you have further questions about how to implement the Missouri Returning Heroes' Act at your institution, please contact Zora AuBuchon, general counsel for the MDHE.

Bright Flight Changes for 2010-2011

As you may be aware, changes are in store for the Bright Flight program beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year. The changes are a result of Missouri's omnibus higher education legislation that became effective August 28, 2007. The annual award will increase from $2,000 to $3,000, subject to appropriations, for students with an ACT or SAT score in the top 3% of all Missouri students taking those tests. The $3,000 award will apply to:

• 2010 high school graduates who will be eligible as initial recipients during the 2010-2011 academic year, and
• Scholarship recipients who graduated prior to 2010 and are eligible to renew their Bright Flight award for the 2010-2011 academic year.

The program also will be expanded to include students with an ACT or SAT score in the top 4-5% of all Missouri students taking those tests by the June test date of their senior year. Subject to appropriations, these students will be eligible to receive an annual award of $1,000, which may be renewed. The 2010 high school seniors will be the first graduating class eligible for the $1,000 award. Students who achieved a score in the top 4-5% but who graduated from high school prior to 2010 will not be eligible for a Bright Flight award.

Qualifying scores are announced each fall for the next academic year. The qualifying score(s) for the 2008-2009 academic year, announced last September, is an ACT composite score of 31 or above, or an SAT math score of 790 and a verbal score of 780. The qualifying scores for the 2009-2010 academic year will be announced in late August or early September 2008, once the assessment companies provide that information to the MDHE. The qualifying scores for the top 3% and the top 4-5% for the 2010-2011 academic year will not be available until fall 2009.

The MDHE plans to have FAMOUS updated to accommodate these changes by January 2010 to allow for smooth processing for the 2010-2011 academic year. Plans are also underway to update the Bright Flight administrative rule with the assistance of the CBHE State Student Financial Aid Committee.

MDHE Commissioner to be a Member of the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders

As signed by Gov. Blunt on June 24, 2008, Senate Bill 768 creates the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Office of Autism Services. Dr. Robert Stein, Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Higher Education, will be a member of the commission. One of the commission's charges will be to develop a recommendation for enlisting institutions of higher education to make sure support and collaboration exist for developing certification or degree programs for students specializing in autism spectrum disorder intervention.