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A+ News |
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The A+ Schools Program is a school-improvement initiative established by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993. The program is raising academic standards, opening new doors to higher education and introducing students to the teaching profession through tutoring and mentoring activities. The program provides incentives for local high schools to: (1) reduce the dropout rate (2) raise academic expectations and eliminate “general track” courses (3) provide better “career pathways” for all students (4) work more closely with business and higher-education leaders. The key goal of A+ Schools is to assure that all students, when they graduate, are well prepared to pursue advanced education, employment or both. Currently, about 8,000 students are using the A+ benefit to attend community colleges across the state. Since 1997, when the first A+ Schools were designated, more than 14,000 Missourians have used at least one semester of A+ financial assistance. The amount of financial support available to individual students is dwindling because of the growing number of eligible students, rising tuition rates at community colleges and the flat level of state funding expected for the 2004-05 fiscal year. Prior to this year, A+ funds covered the cost of tuition, fees and books for eligible students. Funding for textbooks was eliminated this year as overall state funding dropped from $18 million to about $12 million. Budget proposals now being considered by the legislature would keep total A+ funding for next year at the current level. Students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement:
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