ok-985: State Regents for Higher Education — Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Summary

Oklahoma’s Promise was created in 1992. Students must enroll in the program in the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade. The program requires students to complete a college preparatory curriculum, achieve at least a 2.50 GPA in the required curriculum and a 2.50 GPA overall, attend school regularly, and refrain from drug abuse or delinquent acts. Students completing the requirements qualify for an award equal to public college tuition. As originally created in 1992, participation was limited to students from families with an income of $24,000 or less at the time of application in the 9th or 10th grade. In 1999, the family income limit was increased to $32,000 and the application period was expanded into the 8th grade. One year later, in 2000, the income limit was further increased to $50,000. The income limit remained at $50,000 until 2017 when the Legislature increased the limit to $55,000 beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The 2017 legislation also included a further increase of the income limit to $60,000 beginning in 2021-2022. In 2021, the Legislature acted to further expand the application period to the 11th grade, effective beginning in 2021-2022. The 2022 Legislature again modified the income limit by establishing three income eligibility levels based on the number of dependent children in the family that became effective in the 2022-2023 school year. • $60,000 per year for parents who have one or two dependent children; • $70,000 per year for parents who have three or four dependent children; or • $80,000 per year for parents who have five or more dependent children. From 2012-2013 to 2017-2018, Oklahoma’s Promise college students were subject to a second income limit of $100,000 checked once at the time the student started college. Beginning in 2018-2019, the second income limit is checked each year the student is enrolled in college. The proposed Oklahoma’s Promise changes are intended to support the State Regents' goal to increase the number of college graduates in Oklahoma and to comply with changes in law. These proposed emergency and permanent rules are necessary to comply with the changes to 70 O.S. §§ 2603 and 2605 made by Senate Bills 1302 and 1328. Both bills became effective July 1, 2024. In the absence of emergency rules, the earliest the permanent rule process could be complete is Summer 2025. The emergency rules will provide temporary guidance to OSRHE staff, institutions of higher education and prospective and enrolled students until such time as the permanent rule process – which will include public comment and potentially a public hearing – is complete. Allowing a delay in modifying the rules for Oklahoma’s Promise until Summer 2025 could create a “violation of federal law or regulation or other state law” or create “serious prejudice to the public interest.” 75 O.S. § 253(A)(1)(c) & (e). These are both outcomes that the emergency rule provisions of 75 O.S. § 253 allow OSRHE to prevent.

The agency’s own summary, as published.