A+ Program

Eligible students are those who qualify according to the following criteria and continue their education at a Missouri public community college or public vocational-technical school. These students may be eligible for state reimbursed tuition.

The scholarship will reimburse, within the limits described below, the unpaid balance of tuition and general fees after all available, non-loan federal financial assistance, such as the federal Pell grant, has been applied to the student’s account.

The incentive, offered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, may be available for up to six semesters of attendance during the 4-year period following high school graduation.

The tuition amount eligible for reimbursement is capped at the published standard per credit hour tuition rate charged by State Technical College of Missouri. The reimbursement cap is subject to change annually as tuition rates change. The maximum reimbursement rate is announced in late spring or early summer each year. For the 2022-2023 academic year, the maximum rate is $196.00 per credit hour or $5.20 per clock-hour.

Although the actual A+ financial incentive appropriated by the General Assembly can only be used at a public Missouri community or vocational/technical school, some 4-year colleges and universities offer partial scholarships to their institutions as a 1 means of recruiting A+ certified graduates. Please check with any 4-year colleges or universities you are considering to determine if they offer this scholarship. This information can usually be found on their website. If you have any questions about which institutions offer scholarships for this program, or have trouble finding the information you need, contact Mrs. Phillips.

The program requirements are as follows, per the A+ program:

1. The student must be a Missouri resident and attend an A+ high school for two years immediately prior to graduation.
2. Earn a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 grade point or higher on a 4.0 scale (non-weighted).
3. Maintain a 95% high school attendance record for the 4-year period (attendance is not rounded up).
4. Perform 50 documented hours of approved and unpaid tutoring and/or mentoring. 25% of hours can be obtained through job shadowing or internship.
5. Achieve a score of 17 on the math section of the ACT test.
6. Establish a record of good citizenship with no drug or alcohol offenses.
7. Make a documented good-faith effort to secure federal post-secondary student financial assistance funds during the last semester of the senior year so as to obtain the A+ financial incentive (FAFSA).
8. Register for Selective Service, if applicable (as required by law).