11 KAR 18:010. Robert C. Byrd Honors
Scholarship Program.
RELATES TO: KRS 164.744(2), 164.748(7),
(8), 34 C.F.R. 654.1-654.5, 654.30-654.52, 20 U.S.C. 1070d-31-1070d-41
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 164.748(4),
164.753(3), 34 C.F.R. 654.30, 654.41, 20 U.S.C.
1070d-37, 1070d-38
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: 20
U.S.C. 1070d-31 et seq., establishes the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship
Program and requires the secretary to make grants to states to provide
scholarships to outstanding high school graduates who show promise of continued
excellence. 20 U.S.C. 1070d-35 and 1070d-37,
and 34 C.F.R. 654.30 and 654.41 require the
authority, as the state agency designated to receive the grant, to establish
criteria and application procedures for the
selection of eligible scholars. This
administrative regulation establishes application procedures
and selection criteria for the administration of the Robert C. Byrd Honors
Scholarship Program in Kentucky.
Section 1. Definitions. (1) "ACT
score" means the composite score achieved on the American College Test at
a national test site on a national test date.
(2) "Authority" is defined in
KRS 164.740(1).
(3) "Award year" means the
period of time from July 1 of one (1) year through June 30 of the following
year.
(4) "Eligible student" is
defined in KRS 164.740(5).
(5) "Federal act" is defined in
KRS 164.740(7).
(6) "GED coordinator" means an
adult education provider.
(7) "High school" means a
school located within or outside of the Commonwealth enrolling students for secondary
school instruction that is:
(a) Operated by a state; or
(b) A private, parochial, or church
secondary school that has been recognized as accredited, or voluntarily
complying with accreditation standards, by one (1) of the fifty (50) state
departments of education or one (1) of the seven (7) independent regional
accrediting associations.
(8) "High school graduate"
means an individual who receives:
(a) A high school diploma;
(b) A General Education Development (GED)
Certificate; or
(c) Any other evidence recognized by the Commonwealth
as the equivalent of a high school diploma.
(9) "Home school" means a
noncertified, nonpublic school within the Commonwealth in which a Kentucky resident is in attendance.
(10) "Participating
institution" is defined in KRS 164.740(13).
(11) "SAT score" means the sum
of the scores achieved on the critical reading and mathematics components of the
Scholastic Aptitude Test at a national test site on a single national test
date.
(12) "Scholar" means an
individual who is selected as a Byrd Scholar.
(13) "Secretary" is defined in
KRS 164.740(19).
Section 2. Eligibility Criteria. (1)
Initial eligibility. To be eligible for selection as a scholar, an individual
shall meet the initial eligibility criteria established in 34 C.F.R. 654.40.
(2) Continued eligibility. To remain
eligible for additional awards under this program for subsequent award years, a
scholar shall meet the continued eligibility criteria established in 34 C.F.R.
654.51.
Section 3. Initial Application
Procedures. (1) In order for an eligible student to be considered for an award
under this program:
(a) The eligible student shall not have
applied for consideration in a prior year; and
(b) The requirements of subsection (2),
(3), or (4) of this section shall be met.
(2) High school students.
(a) The eligible student’s participating
high school shall nominate the eligible student, and shall submit to the
authority a completed application through the Authority's secured Web site by
February 15 on the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program set forth in 11
KAR 4:080, Section 1(5)(a).
(b) The application shall be accompanied
by the following supporting documentation, to be provided through the Authority's
secure Web site pertaining to the eligible student:
1. A certified transcript showing the
cumulative grade point average as of the most recent semester completed prior
to the high school guidance counselor's certification;
2. An official ACT score or SAT score;
3. A high school guidance counselor’s
recommendation, not exceeding 150 words, pertaining to the student’s promise of
continued academic achievement; and
4. A listing of honors, activities, and
community service performed during high school.
(3) Home school students.
(a) An eligible home school student shall
submit to the authority a completed application by February 15 on the Robert C.
Byrd Honors Scholarship Program Application set forth in 11 KAR 4:080, Section
1(5)(a).
(b) The application shall be accompanied
by the following supporting documentation, submitted by mail to the Authority,
pertaining to the eligible student:
1. A transcript document which clearly
specifies the name of all courses undertaken by the student, the student's
grades achieved, and the student's cumulative grade point average;
2. An official ACT or SAT score report;
3. A written recommendation, not
exceeding one-hundred fifty 150 words, from a nonfamily member of the student,
pertaining to the student’s promise of continued academic achievement; and
4. A listing of all honors, activities,
and community service performed during high school.
(4) GED recipients.
(a) A GED coordinator shall nominate the
eligible student, and submit to the authority a completed application by June
30 on the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program- GED Recipients form set
forth in 11 KAR 4:080, Section 1(5)(b).
(b) The application shall be accompanied
by the following supporting documentation pertaining to the eligible student:
1. An official General Education
Development score certification; and
2. The GED coordinator’s recommendation,
not exceeding 150 words, pertaining to the student’s promise of continued
academic achievement.
Section 4. Nomination Procedures. Each
participating high school shall select and submit applications as follows:
(1) Number of nominations per school.
Each year, a participating high school or home school shall submit nominations
according to the following guidelines:
(a) High schools with enrollments of
1,500 or more may nominate a maximum of five (5) applicants;
(b) High schools with enrollments of
1,000-1,499 may nominate a maximum of four (4) applicants;
(c) High schools with enrollments of
500-999 may nominate a maximum of three (3) applicants;
(d) High schools with enrollments of less
than 500 may nominate a maximum of two (2) applicants; and
(e) Home schools may nominate a maximum
of one (1) applicant per home school.
(2) A participating high school or home
school shall nominate only eligible students who:
(a) Have a minimum:
1. ACT score of twenty-three (23); or
2. SAT score of 1060; and
(b) Have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade
point average as:
1. Certified by the high school guidance
counselor; or
2. Evidenced by an official transcript
for home school students.
(3) A GED coordinator shall nominate only
eligible students who have a minimum GED score of 2700.
Section 5. Selection Procedures. (1)
Applications shall be reviewed to ensure compliance with the requirements set
forth in Sections 2, 3, and 4 of this administrative regulation.
(2) The authority shall sort acceptable
applications according to the six (6) congressional districts in order to
ensure proportional distribution.
(3) The authority shall evaluate and
score applications on a scientific basis by a stratified random technique, with
consideration to demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and promise of
continued achievement and reasonable geographic representation throughout the
state.
(4) At least one (1) scholar shall be
selected among the GED recipients per congressional district. GED recipients
shall be chosen with consideration to demonstrated outstanding academic achievement
and promise of continued achievement as indicated both by the GED examination
scores as well as the GED coordinator's recommendation.
(5) A scholar shall be selected from
eligible applicants without regard to:
(a) The applicant’s race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, disability, economic background, educational expenses,
or financial need;
(b) Whether the scholar attended a high
school located within or outside of the Commonwealth; or
(c) Whether the participating institution
that the scholar plans to attend is public or private or is within or outside
the Commonwealth.
(6) A selected scholar shall agree in
writing that he shall repay to the authority the total amount of the
scholarship funds received for the academic term during which he receives an
award if the scholar is ineligible during the academic term as determined by
the participating institution or the authority.
Section 6. Notification Procedures. The
authority shall notify eligible students, tentatively selected as scholars, in
writing of their status not later than ninety (90) days after the application
submission deadline.
Section 7. Award Amount. (1) The amount
of the annual award shall be governed by 34 C.F.R. 654.50 and 34 C.F.R.
654.51(b).
(2) A scholar shall receive an aggregate
maximum of $6,000 over four (4) years for an undergraduate or an equivalent
undergraduate program of study if he or she maintains eligibility.
Section 8. Disbursements. (1) The first
payment shall be made at the beginning of the fall term after the participating
institution has certified that the scholar is enrolled on a full-time basis and
that the total amount of financial aid awarded to a scholar for a year of
study, including the scholarship amount awarded pursuant to this administrative
regulation, does not exceed the eligible student’s total cost of attendance.
(2) The award shall be paid in at least
two (2) disbursements in the amount of:
(a) One-half (1/2) in the fall term; and
(b) One-half (1/2) in the spring term.
(3) The funds shall be disbursed by the
authority to the educational institution for either subsequent delivery to the
scholar or application of the funds to the account of the scholar.
(4)(a) Except as provided in paragraph
(b) of this subsection, the award shall be utilized within twelve (12) months
of the time of initial award.
(b) The authority's executive director
may authorize a postponement of the award utilization.
1. The postponement shall be for up to
twelve (12) additional months from the date the scholar:
a. Otherwise would have enrolled in the
institution after the scholarship award was made; or
b. Interrupts enrollment.
2. A postponement shall be granted only
if:
a. There is sufficient good cause; and
b. The scholar requests in writing,
before the payment is certified by the participating institution, that the
award be delayed to postpone or interrupt his enrollment.
(c) A scholar who postpones or interrupts
his enrollment at a participating institution in accordance with paragraph (b)
of this subsection shall not be eligible to receive scholarship funds during
the period of postponement or interruption, but shall be eligible to receive
scholarship payments upon enrollment or reenrollment at a participating
institution.
(d) The authority may extend the twelve
(12) month suspension period without terminating the scholar's eligibility if
the scholar demonstrates to the satisfaction of the authority that extended postponement
or interruption of enrollment beyond the twelve (12) month suspension is due to
exceptional circumstances beyond the scholar’s control or necessary for the
scholar to meet a commitment. (30 Ky.R. 1698; Am. 2011; eff. 3-18-2004; 2312; 31 Ky.R.
18, eff. 8-6-04; 1696; 1960; eff. 6-13-05; 33 Ky.R. 187; 716; eff. 10-6-06; 34
Ky.R. 2325; 35 Ky.R. 10; eff. 8-1-2008; 965; 1432; eff. 1-5-2009; 2317; 36
Ky.R. 14; eff. 7-13-2009.)
