A+ Agreement 
A+ Citizenship Agreement 
Tutoring Agreement 
Tutoring Log 
A Plus Program Handbook 

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 Tia Phillips.

Enter into a written agreement with the high school to participate in the A+ Schools Student Financial Incentives Program. A student may enter into the agreement at any time during his/her four years of high school prior to graduation. The agreement simply states that the students and parents are aware of the A+ Program requirements and incentives. Due to the requirement to accumulate tutoring/mentoring hours, it is recommended that the agreement be signed as early as possible. Signing an A+ Participation Agreement in no way obligates the student to adhere to the A+ guidelines, but is a necessary step to participate.

Eligible students are those who have attended an A+ designated high school for any 2 years of the 4 years prior to high school graduation. Additionally, regardless of graduation year, if one of the student’s parents is a member of the military on active duty or has retired from the military and relocated to Missouri within one year of their retirement, the student is exempt from this requirement. However, students must attend an A+ designated high school in the school year immediately preceding graduation and meet all of the other high school eligibility requirements.

Eligible students must graduate from high school with a non-weighted cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (no rounding). This average will represent the applicant’s cumulative GPA that includes the freshman through senior years. A non-weighted 2.499 or lower will render the student uncertified.

The applicant must have a 95 percent or better average attendance record for the four-year period, freshman through senior years (no rounding).

• A cumulative attendance record will be kept from the beginning of the A+ student’s freshman year until graduation.
• The official record of attendance is kept in the high school office. Students attending Hillyard Technical Center will have that attendance reported monthly and transferred to high school records.
• Cumulative attendance information will be assessed by the A+ Coordinator at the end of each semester.
• Each semester parents, guardians, and students will be provided information regarding the student’s attendance record.
• The A+ Program does not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences.

The A+ Program differs from the regular school attendance rules. A+ attendance waivers are only for serious, long-term illness, treatment of chronic health conditions, or homebound instruction approved by the principal. A Waiver Application must be filed within 10 school days after returning to school.

Absences that occur because of school sponsored activities or exam exemption are not counted against attendance. Attendance waivers are not usually granted for the following:

• Doctor/dentist visits
• Court dates
• Funerals
• Family vacations
• Transportation problems
• Employment

Please contact the A+ coordinator with attendance questions. All requests for waivers will be considered on a case by case basis by the A+ Advisory Committee (High School Principal, Guidance Counselor, and three high school teachers).

Eligible students must perform and document 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring for younger students during the four years of high school – 25% of which may be job shadowing and 10% may be with a religious organization.

Tutoring and mentoring activities will be school-based, approved by the A+ Coordinator, academic in nature, and under the school’s guidance. A list of approved tutoring/mentoring activities will be provided to each A+ applicant. All tutoring and mentoring must be supervised and verified by a teacher, principal, counselor, or the A+ Coordinator.

The A+ student will maintain records of tutoring/mentoring hours, and the log must be signed by the supervising teacher, A+ Coordinator, or principal. The log must be turned in quarterly to the A+ Coordinator.

Students will behave responsibly while tutoring. This includes notifying the tutoring supervisor before absences when possible. The student may receive no financial compensation for A+ tutoring.

Eligible students must maintain a record of good citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol.

• Good Citizenship:

A good citizen will approach school as a medium to acquire educational skills that will be essential to the individual’s success in post-secondary life. As a result, the A+ participant must endeavor to make the most of his or her time at school. Students who find themselves in violation of the St. Joseph Christian High School discipline code and are consequently assigned disciplinary action should be aware that those actions could jeopardize A+ incentive eligibility.

• Drug and Alcohol Use:

A student will immediately be removed from the program for drugs, alcohol/substance abuse, possession of drug paraphernalia, or conviction of a violation of the Safe Schools Act. This applies to a student’s entire high school career including nights, weekends, and summers.

Determination of offense may come from:

• Observation and mandatory report by a sponsor, certified staff member, or other school personnel.
• Admittance by individual
• Judgment by the principal that unquestionable proof exists
• Legal conviction or deferred prosecution

Eligible students must make a documented good faith effort to secure all available federal post-secondary student financial assistance funds that do not require repayment.

During the applicant’s senior year, he/she will be required to complete an application for securing federal post-secondary financial assistance. Reimbursement from the state may be given only after federal funds that do not require repayment have been applied.

Parents must complete and file the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA summary report must be sent to the community college or public vocational technical school the student is planning to attend.

The FAFSA form is available online. Parents are encouraged to apply as soon as possible when the form becomes available, which is typically October 1 of the student’s senior year (this date has been moved to December 1 for the 2023-24 school year due to updates being made to the process.) Tuition incentives may only be awarded to reimburse the unpaid balance of the cost of tuition and general fees after available federal post-secondary student financial assistance funds that do not require repayment, such as the federal Pell grant, have been applied to these costs.

Eligible students must score proficient or advanced on a high school math standardized test. Additional alternatives may include a minimum score of 17 on ACT Math subscore, 43 on Compass Pre-Algebra, or 1 on Compass Algebra I.

Register with Selective Service, if required.

Effective August 28, 1999, all individuals required to register under the United States Military Selective Service Act (all males age 18) must show proof of registration to be eligible for state-supported scholarships, programs for financial assistance for post-secondary education or loans insured by any state agency.