Chapter HEA 9

HEA 9.01 HEA 9.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to define the various aspects of the Wisconsin academic excellence scholarship program authorized by s. 39.41, Stats., as to the naming of the scholar and the responsibilities of the high school, and continuing student eligibility and the responsibilities of the educational institution.

HEA 9.01 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98.

HEA 9.02 HEA 9.02 Definitions. In this chapter:

HEA 9.02(1) (1) “GPA” means the cumulative grade point average, as it is normally determined by each high school.

HEA 9.02(2) (2) “High school” means a Wisconsin school with grades 9-12 which is recognized by the Wisconsin department of public instruction.

HEA 9.02(3) (3) “Institution” means a public or private non-profit institution of higher education in Wisconsin which is accredited by a national or state accrediting agency, and which has signed a participation agreement with the higher educational aids board in accordance with s. 39.41 (5) (a), Stats.

HEA 9.02(4) (4) “Scholar” means a student determined to be eligible to receive a monetary award under the academic excellence scholarship program.

HEA 9.02(5) (5) “Scholarship” means the Wisconsin academic excellence scholarship authorized by s. 39.41, Stats.

HEA 9.02 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98; corrections in (3), (5) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686.

HEA 9.03 HEA 9.03 Scholar qualifications. A scholar who is otherwise eligible to receive a monetary award under the scholarship program shall receive an award only if all of the following apply:

HEA 9.03(1) (1) The scholar is a resident of the United States who is either a citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence by the federal immigration and naturalization service.

HEA 9.03(2) (2) The scholar is a Wisconsin resident according to the residency standards of s. 36.27, Stats.

HEA 9.03 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98; correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686.

HEA 9.04 HEA 9.04 Naming the scholar.

HEA 9.04(1) (1) The number of scholarships available to each high school shall be based on the enrollment in that school as of the 3rd Friday in September in the academic year in which the scholar is selected. No adjustment shall be made to the number of scholarships available even if the enrollment increases or decreases during the academic year.

HEA 9.04(2) (2) Students under ch. 220, Stats., and students participating in the full-time open enrollment program shall compete for the scholarship at the high school they actually attend.

HEA 9.04(3) (3) The scholar shall be selected based on the scholar’s GPA as it is normally determined by each high school and as shown on the official transcript as of the last day of the last semester that ended just prior to the February 15 deadline.

HEA 9.04(4) (4) For purposes of selecting the scholars and alternate scholars, the scholar’s and alternate’s GPA shall include the same number of places past the decimal that the high school normally uses on the official high school transcript.

HEA 9.04(5) (5) No scholarships shall be re-allocated after the February 15 deadline. The school’s nominees and alternates are final.

HEA 9.04(6) (6) High schools which operate on a tri-mester system shall have 30 days beyond the last day of the 2nd tri-mester to submit the name of the scholar.

HEA 9.04 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98.

HEA 9.05 HEA 9.05 High school responsibilities.

HEA 9.05(1) (1) Each school board of the school district, or the governing body of a private high school, shall determine, and have in writing, a policy establishing how long a student must have attended that high school to compete for the scholarship, how the student acquires senior status, and when the student is eligible to compete for the scholarship.

HEA 9.05(2) (2) Each school board of the school district, or the governing body of a private high school, shall determine, and have in writing, a policy defining the grading system used in that high school, including whether it is weighted or unweighted, which subjects are included in the GPA on the official high school transcript, how pass-fail grades are incorporated into the GPA, how grades from study abroad or from alternative or home schools are incorporated into the GPA, and how to incorporate grades earned in another country by students with permanent resident status.

HEA 9.05(3) (3) The faculty of each high school shall determine, and have in writing, a policy that describes the tie breaking procedures and criteria used to determine the scholars and alternates and to put them in rank order.

HEA 9.05(4) (4) High schools with fewer than 80 students shall submit to the higher educational aids board the name of the senior with the highest GPA in all subjects by February 15 of each school year. The GPA shall be based on a 4.000 grade point scale with the grade of “A” equaling 4.000. Grades shall be unweighted for this GPA and shall be expressed on a 4.000 scale. The high schools shall also submit:

HEA 9.05(4)(a) (a) A copy of the student’s high school transcript.

HEA 9.05(4)(b) (b) The student’s highest score and percentile ranking earned on the American college test, scholastic aptitude test, or other test required by the Wisconsin institution in which the student intends to enroll.

HEA 9.05(4)(c) (c) A letter from the student indicating the reasons that the student feels qualified for the scholarship and an intent to attend, by September 30 of the year in which the student graduates from high school, a participating university of Wisconsin institution, a participating private institution of higher education in Wisconsin, or a participating institution in the Wisconsin technical college system.

HEA 9.05(4)(d) (d) The secretary shall designate the 10 students with the highest GPAs in high schools with fewer than 80 students, as the recipients of the scholarship. In the event of a tie, the secretary shall rank students based on the scores from the American college test, the scholastic aptitude test, or other comparable tests. If a tie remains, the secretary shall rank students based on the content and quality of the students’ letters.

HEA 9.05 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98.

HEA 9.06 HEA 9.06 Continuing scholar eligibility.

HEA 9.06(1) (1) To receive an academic scholarship for a second year, the scholar shall have accumulated at least 24 semester credits, or their quarterly equivalent as determined by the higher educational aids board, and have achieved a 3.000 GPA based on a 4.000 system.

HEA 9.06(2) (2) To receive an academic scholarship for a third year, the scholar shall have accumulated at least 48 semester credits, or their quarterly equivalent as determined by the higher educational aids board, and have achieved a 3.000 GPA based on a 4.000 system.

HEA 9.06(3) (3) To receive an academic scholarship for a fourth year, the scholar shall have accumulated at least 72 semester credits, or their quarterly equivalent as determined by the higher educational aids board, and have achieved a 3.000 GPA based on a 4.000 system.

HEA 9.06(4) (4) The higher educational aids board shall pay to the institution, on behalf of the scholar, the award only for the first or second semester, or first, second, or third quarter of attendance. Awards shall not be made for summer term or other special terms of attendance, nor shall awards be made before the first term of the academic year following the scholar’s senior year in which he or she was selected as a recipient.

HEA 9.06(5) (5) The scholar shall be enrolled in consecutive regular semester or quarter academic terms to maintain continuing eligibility. Exceptions to consecutive term enrollment, such as for medical reasons or study abroad, shall be considered by the secretary on a case by case basis.

HEA 9.06(6) (6) Scholars shall be able to regain eligibility through consecutive term enrollment which could bring their credits earned up to the minimum required or their grade point average to the cumulative minimum of 3.000 or both.

HEA 9.06(7) (7) Eligibility for a scholarship ceases when the scholar receives a bachelor’s degree.

HEA 9.06 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98.

HEA 9.07 HEA 9.07 Institutional responsibilities.

HEA 9.07(1) (1) The institution shall match the scholarship award provided by the higher educational aids board from its own funds each academic term for each scholar enrolled.

HEA 9.07(2) (2) The scholarship shall not replace other need based state grant assistance in the package of financial aid offered to the scholar by the institution.

HEA 9.07(3) (3) Funds advanced by the higher educational aids board for scholars who do not enroll shall be promptly returned to the higher educational aids board as soon as it becomes evident to the institution that the scholars will not enroll. The institutions shall also return funds to the higher educational aids board in cases where the scholar withdraws from the institution prior to the end of the institutionally determined refund period. In these instances the institution shall determine the amount to be returned to the higher educational aids board based upon the institution’s refund policy.

HEA 9.07(4) (4) The institution shall provide the higher educational aids board with the cumulative grade point average and cumulative academic credits earned by each scholar enrolled for all or part of the academic year no later than the July 1st following the end of the academic year. Until this information is certified to the higher educational aids board, the board shall not make any additional payments to the institution on behalf of the scholar.

HEA 9.07 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1998, No. 506, eff. 3-1-98.