BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend § 3404A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
§ 3410A. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this subchapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
For purposes of this subchapter:
(1) “Academic year”
shall mean
means
the 2 consecutive academic semesters beginning with the fall semester.
(2)
a.
“Family” for a dependent applicant
shall mean
means
the applicant, the applicant’s parents or legal guardian, relative caregiver, and other children under the age of 21 of the applicant’s parents, legal guardian or relative caregiver.
The term “family”
b. “Family”
for an independent applicant
shall mean
means
the applicant, an applicant’s spouse and any dependent children.
(3) “Eligibility period” means the maximum length of time that a student is eligible for the Inspire scholarship program under § 3412A(b)(2) or § 3414A(c) of this title.
(3)
(4)
“Full-time”
shall mean
means
a minimum of 24 credit hours in each academic year.
(5) “Delaware State Inspire Scholarship Program”, “Inspire scholarship program” or “Inspire grant” means the tuition payments or grants under this subchapter.
(4)
(6)
“Institution”
shall mean
means
Delaware State University.
(5)
(7)
“School activity”
shall mean
means an
open house, school curriculum night, parent and teacher conference night, holiday program, or other school-related events conducted by a public middle school or high school where parents, community members, and students are encouraged to attend and participate.
Section 2. Amend Subchapter XV, Chapter 34, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 3417A. Grant balance.
(a)(1)A student who completes a bachelor’s degree before the end of the applicable eligibility period has a remaining Inspire grant balance.
(2) The remaining Inspire grant balance equals the amount of the Inspire grant for each semester of the student’s eligibility period after the student receives their bachelor’s degree.
(b) A student may use the remaining Inspire grant balance to pay tuition for graduate degree program tuition at Delaware State University.
(c) A student is eligible for the Inspire scholarship program under subsection (b) this section for 10 years after completing a bachelor’s degree if the student meets all of the requirements under § 3412A and § 3414A of this title, except as follows:
(1) The student does not need to be enrolled on a full-time basis.
(2) The student does not need to maintain continuous enrollment.
SYNOPSIS
The Delaware State Inspire Scholarship Program (Inspire scholarship) pays undergraduate tuition for 8 semesters at Delaware State University (DSU). Some students complete their undergraduate degrees in less than 8 semesters because they take heavier than average course loads each semester or because they earned college credits during high school. This Act aims to reward students for their hard work and provide additional access and opportunity for them to continue their higher education by allowing students to use the Inspire scholarship program towards additional levels of higher education if the student obtains their undergraduate degree before using all 8 semesters of eligibility.
Specifically, this Act extends eligibility for Inspire scholarships as follows:
1. Under current law, most students may use Inspire grant money for up to 8 continuous semesters towards a bachelor's degree at DSU. This Act allows students who complete a bachelor's degree in less than 8 continuous semesters to use the remaining Inspire grant money towards a graduate degree program at DSU.
2. The Inspire scholarship program provides additional time for individuals who lived in foster care to complete an undergraduate degree. This Act makes corresponding changes to the eligibility for these individuals so that they also can use remaining Inspire grant money towards a graduate degree at DSU if they complete their undergraduate degree before exhausting the time available to do so.
In addition, this Act modifies 2 requirements for eligibility for the Inspire scholarship program for students using the scholarship for a graduate degree program so that students may be enrolled on a part-time basis and are not required to maintain continuous enrollment.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Author: Senator Paradee
