To assure that your Scholarship and Grant Program Rules remain current, please record this document on your TOPS Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission has revised the Scholarship and Grant Program Rules at its February 7, 2003 meeting to amend the responsibilities of high schools regarding certification of student academic achievement and the notification given by high schools to students who may be eligible for a TOPS Award.

The full compilation of the TOPS rules with all changes incorporated to date may be viewed on our web site at www.osfa.state.la.us. The revisions, with inserted language underlined and stricken language struck out, follow:

Title 28

EDUCATION

Part VI. Student Financial Assistance—Higher

Education Scholarship and Grant Programs

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Chapter 17. Responsibilities of High Schools, School Boards, Special School Governing Boards, the Louisiana Department of Education and LASFAC on Behalf of Eligible Non-Louisiana High Schools

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§1703. High School's Certification of Student Achievement

A. Responsibility for Reporting and Certifying Student Performance

1. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), responsibility Responsibility for the identification and certification of high school graduates who meet the academic qualifications for a TOPS award is as follows:

a. the principal or the principal's designee for public high schools;
b. the principal or headmaster or designee of each nonpublic high school approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE);
c. the principal or headmaster or designee of an eligible non-Louisiana high school;
d. the principal or headmaster or designee of an out-of-state high school is responsible only for providing the high school transcript or the date of graduation for those students who have applied for a student aid program administered by LASFAC.

2. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), responsibility for the submission and certification of courses attempted and the grades earned for high school graduates is as follows:

a. the principal or the principal's designee for public high schools;
b. the principal or headmaster or designee of each nonpublic high school approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE);
c. the principal or headmaster or designee of an eligible non-Louisiana high school;
d. the principal or headmaster or designee of an out-of-state high school is responsible only for providing the high school transcript or the date of graduation for those students who have applied for a student aid program administered by LASFAC.

2. 3. The Louisiana Department of Education shall certify to LASFAC the names of students who are enrolled in and have completed all mandatory requirements through the twelfth grade level of a state-approved home study program.

B. Procedures for Reporting and Certifying Student Performance

1. a. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), the The responsible high school authority shall record student performance on the form provided by LASFAC or in an electronic format pre-approved by LASFAC. The certification form shall be completed, certified and returned to LASFAC by the deadline specified on the form.
    b. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), the responsible high school authority shall submit the required student information in a standard electronic format approved by LASFAC.

2. a. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), the The certification form shall contain, but is not limited to, the following reportable data elements:

a.(1) student's name, address, phone number and social security number;
b.(2) month and year of high school graduation;
c.(3) final cumulative high school grade point average for all courses attempted, converted to a maximum 4.00 scale, if applicable (Note: Beginning with students graduating in 2002-2003, the cumulative high school grade point average will be calculated by using only grades obtained in completing the core curriculum.); and
d.(4) through the graduating class of the Academic Year (High School) 2002-2003, number of core units earned and the number of core units unavailable to the student at the school attended;. After the graduating class of the Academic Year (High School) 2002-2003, core unit requirements may not be waived.

   b. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), certification shall contain, but is not limited to, the following reportable data elements:

(1) student's name and social security number;
(2) month and year of high school graduation;
(3) the course code for each course completed;
(4) the grade for each course completed;
(5) the grading scale for each course reported; and
(6) through the graduating class of the Academic Year (High School) 2002-2003, number of core units earned and the number of core units unavailable to the student at the school attended. After the graduating class of the Academic Year (High School) 2002-2003, core unit requirements may not be waived.

3. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), the The responsible high school authority shall certify to LASFAC the final cumulative high school grade point average of each applicant and that average shall be inclusive of grades for all courses attempted and shall be computed and reported on a maximum 4.00 grading scale.

a. The following grading conversion shall be used to report the applicant's cumulative high school grade point average:

i.   letter grade A = 4 quality points;
ii.  letter grade B = 3 quality points;
iii. letter grade C = 2 quality points;
iv.  letter grade D = 1 quality point.

b. Schools which award more than 4 quality points for a course must convert the course grade to a maximum 4.00 scale using the formula described in the example that follows. [In this example, the school awards one extra quality point for an honors course.]

i. Example: an applicant earned a C in an Honors English IV course and received 3 out of the 5 possible quality points that could have been awarded for the course.
ii. In converting this course grade to a standard 4.00 maximum scale, the following formula must be used:

 

Quality Points Awarded for the Course        =     X (Converted Quality Points)
Maximum Points Possible for the Course           4.00 (Maximum Scale)

3.00  =   X   
5.00      4.00

By cross multiplying,

5X = 12;  X = 2.40

iii. In this example, the quality points for this Honors English IV course should be recorded as 2.40 when the school calculates and reports the student's cumulative high school grade point average.

4. a. - d. Repealed. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), LASFAC shall determine whether high school graduates have completed the core curriculum and compute the TOPS Cumulative High School Grade Point Average for each such graduate using a maximum 4.00 grading scale. Grades awarded on other than a maximum 4.00 scale shall be converted to a maximum 4.00 scale.

C. Certifying 1998 Graduates for the TOPS Performance Award. 1998 Graduates who are ranked in the top 5 percent of their graduating class in accordance with §1703 shall be credited with having completed the core curriculum for purposes of the TOPS; however, only those meeting the following criteria shall be eligible for the Performance Award by LASFAC:

1. those students who have attained a final cumulative high school grade point average of at least a 3.50 on a 4.00 maximum scale; and
2. an ACT score of at least 23.

D. Certification.

1. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), the The high school headmaster or principal or designee shall certify that:

1.a. all data supplied on the certification form are true and correct, to the best of his knowledge or belief, and that they reflect the official records of the school for the students listed; and
2.b. records pertaining to the listed students will be maintained and available upon request to LASFAC and the legislative auditor for a minimum of three years or until audited, whichever occurs first; and
3.c. the school under the principal's jurisdiction shall reimburse LASFAC for the amount of a program award which was disbursed on behalf of a graduate of the school, when it is subsequently determined by audit that the school incorrectly certified the graduate.

2. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), the submission of the required data by the high school headmaster or principal or designee shall constitute a certification that:

a. all data reported are true and correct, to the best of his knowledge or belief, and that they reflect the official records of the school for the students listed; and
b. records pertaining to the listed students will be maintained and available upon request to LASAC and the legislative auditor for a minimum of three years or until audited, whichever occurs first; and

3. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), if a student is determined to be eligible for a TOPS Award based on data that is incorrect and the student was in fact ineligible for a TOPS Award or the level awarded, the high school must reimburse LASFAC for the amount paid in excess of what the student was eligible for.

§1705. Notification of Certified Students

A. High schools are required to present a certificate of achievement during the graduation ceremony or other school reception to students qualifying as recipients of TOPS Performance and Honors Awards.

B. High schools are required to invite members of the Louisiana Legislature representing the school's district to attend the ceremony or reception and to make the presentation awarding the endorsed certificates of achievement.

C. 1. Through the 2002 Academic Year (High School), if If the certifying authority elects to notify students of their certification, then the following disclaimer shall be included in any communication to the student:

"Although you have been certified as academically eligible for a Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Award, you must satisfy all of the following conditions to redeem a scholarship under this program:

1.a. You must be a Louisiana resident as defined by the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission; and
2.b. You must be accepted for enrollment by an eligible Louisiana college and be registered as a full-time undergraduate student; and
3.c. You must annually apply for federal student aid, if eligible for such aid, by the deadline required for consideration for state aid; and
4.d. You must have met all academic and nonacademic requirements and be officially notified of your award by the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC)."

   2. Commencing with the 2003 Academic Year (High School), if the certifying authority elects to notify students of their potential eligibility for an award, then the following disclaimer shall be included in any communication to the student:

"Although it appears that you have satisfied the academic requirements for a Tuition Opportunity Program for Student's (TOPS) Award based on this school's review of the core curriculum courses you have completed and calculation of your TOPS Cumulative High School Grade Point Average, you must satisfy all of the following conditions to redeem a scholarship under this program:

a. The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC) must determine that you have in fact completed the TOPS core curriculum courses;
b. LASFAC must determine that your TOPS Cumulative High School Grade Point Average based on the TOPS core curriculum meets the statutory requirements;
c. You must be a Louisiana resident as defined by LASFAC;
d. You must be accepted for enrollment by an eligible Louisiana postsecondary institution and be registered as a full-time undergraduate student no later than the next semester following the first anniversary of your graduation from high school;
e. You must apply for federal student aid, if eligible for such aid, by the deadline required for consideration for consideration for state and; and
f. You must have met all academic and nonacademic requirements and be officially notified of your award by LASFAC."

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