Pub. 1 2019-20 Issue 1

http://wvcar.com 18 WVADA D uring the 2019 Regular Ses- sion, the West Virginia Legisla- ture passed Senate Bill 1. This bill will improve student ac- cess to career education and workforce training. The education reform bill suggested creating two programs: • AdvancedCareerEducation(ACE)program • WV Invests Grant program, initially funded at more than $7.6 million The bill passed and has already begun helping students pay for college during the 2019-20 academic year. The Department of Commerce annually notifies the State Board of Notification and the WV Council for Community and Technical College Education about the industries that are particularly in need of qualified employees. In turn, the State Board and the WV Council create and adopt guidelines based on the information they receive. The goal is for the program to meet any neces- sary accreditation requirements. In ad- dition, the WV Council and the Division of Vocational Education must write an annual report to the governor and to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability. The new programs make it possible for students to begin working on in-demand credentials or associate degrees with as little cost to the students as possible, including being able to complete pro- grams for free, if other programs such as the grant program can completely or partially cover the actual out-of-pocket costs. Coursework is designed to be as efficient and straightforward as possible in order to reduce duplication of classes and to facilitate program completion for students who are in the program. Starting in fiscal 2021, money for the program will only be given to communi- ty and technical colleges that have cre- ated one or more partnerships for ACE pathways and programs and that have also satisfied other requirements relat- ed to the ACE program. The grant program is administered by the administration’s vice chancellor and makes grants based on the following: • Students can study at any eligible in- stitution for a certificate or associate degree. • The maximum grant amount per stu- dent is the cost of the tuition minus any other financial aid the student re- ceives, such as state and federal aid. • Institutions that apply for money from the grant have to be eligible for the program. • The grant money goes directly to the institution. • If students transfer from one eligible institution to another eligible institu- tion, the vice chancellor for adminis- tration has to approve the transfer of the grant. • If a student who receives a grant pulls out of school for any reason during the academic year, then the unused mon- ey needs to be returned to the council. The program is available to students of all kinds, including students from nonpublic schools and those who are being schooled at home. The student: • Has to be a U.S. citizen who has lived in West Virginia for at least a year before applying for a grant and who has not yet earned a post-secondary degree. • Has to be qualified to get into a pro- gram as defined by the council. • Has to take, pass, and pay for a drug test at the start of each semester, ad- ministered by the school. • Has to file a completed FAFSA and a WV Invests Grant application before any applicable deadlines. • Has to be done with high school in a public, private, or home-school set- ting and be enrolled in an eligible in- stitution with at least six credit hours per semester. The student can continue to use the program to pay for school as long as the student: • Is still eligible and in good standing, including a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher • Is progressing adequately to complete the program • Does a satisfactory job of participating in a community service program that has been authorized by the council If there is a problem, sometimes stu- dents may have to repay the amount of money they were granted, along with any reasonable, applicable collection fees and interest. If they’ve been work- ing within the state for a period of less Senate Bill 1: A Career Pathway for Auto Techs