9.2 Available Funds & Number of Eligible Students

To be eligible for a KEES ACT bonus award, a high school graduate must:

• Have a least a 15 composite ACT score on an ACT taken at a national test site or a score of 710 or better (critical reading and math) on the SAT. The highest score achieved by the date of your high school graduation will be used for calculating the bonus award amount.
• Have earned at least a 2.5 GPA in any year of high school while meeting the KEES curriculum requirements.

To be eligible for a KEES Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) supplemental award, a high school graduate must:

• Be eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during any year of high school.
• Earn a qualifying score on an AP or IB exam taken during or after the2008-2009 academic year.
• Have earned at least a 2.5 GPA during any year of high school while meeting the KEES curriculum requirements.

NOTE: There is no limit to the amount of supplemental awards a student can receive.

To be eligible for a KEES ACT award, a home school graduate must:

• Have an ACT composite score of 15 or better (SAT score of 710 or better) on a national exam.
• Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident.
• Be a Kentucky resident. You are eligible if you maintain your legal residence in Kentucky while attending the U.S. Congressional Page School or participating in an approved foreign educational exchange program. You are eligible if your parent or guardian maintains legal residence in Kentucky while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
• Be enrolled in a participating college.
• Not be a convicted felon.

To be eligible for a KEES ACT award, a GED graduate must:

• Have an ACT composite score of 15 or better (SAT score of 710 or better) on a national exam.
• Have had your 18th birthday occur on or after January 1, 1999.
• Have earned a GED in Kentucky within five years of turning 18 years old.
• Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident.
• Be a Kentucky resident.
• Be enrolled in a participating college within five years of receiving a GED.
• Not be a convicted felon.

Renewal amounts for students who received KEES prior to the 2009-2010 academic year will be determined as follows:

• If your cumulative GPA is at least 3.0, your full award will be renewed.
• If your cumulative GPA is at least 2.5 but below 3.0, your award amount will be reduced by 50 percent.
• If your cumulative GPA is below 2.5, you will become ineligible until you raise your cumulative GPA to at least 2.5 at the end of the next academic year.

Renewal amounts for students who first enrolled and received KEES during the 2009-2010 academic year will be determined as follows:

• If your cumulative GPA is at least 3.0, your full award will be renewed.
• If your cumulative GPA is at least 2.5 but below 3.0, your full award will be renewed only if you have completed enough hours to be certified as on track to graduate by your college.
• If your cumulative GPA is at least 2.5 but below 3.0, you have not earned enough hours to be considered on track to graduate, but you were enrolled full time during the prior year, your award amount will be reduced by 50 percent.
• If your cumulative GPA is below 3.0 and you were enrolled less than full-time and are not considered on track to graduate, you will become ineligible until you meet one of the standards above at the end of the next academic year.

KCTCS determines if students are on track to graduate using the following criteria. As noted above, students with a 3.0 GPA keep all KEES funds regardless of hours earned.

• End of 2nd Year: 2.5-2.99 GPA and 48 hours* earned = On Track to Graduate
• End of 2nd Year: 2.5-2.99 GPA and 36-47 hours = Not on Track to Graduate but can keep ½ KEES if full-time
• End of 3rd Year: 2.5-2.99 and 84 hours = On Track to Graduate

*By taking 18 hours a term for the remaining terms, a student could graduate on time.

Must be a Guard member with satisfactory standing; complete basic and advanced individual training; and attend an approved accredited school to pursue a vocational, associate, bachelor or graduate program. Tuition (subject to the availability of funds) for up to the established per credit hour amount established by KHEAA and published annually on their website, not to exceed cap outlined in National Guard Policy letter.

Eligibility: Guard member with six-year obligation who is a high school graduate or GED holder and completes basic and advanced individual training.

Award: Students receive up to the established monthly amount established by KHEAA and published annually on their website, not to exceed cap outlined in National Guard Policy letter, for full-time enrollment in a Veterans Administration-approved vo-tech, undergraduate or graduate program for up to 36 months.

Eligibility: Newly enlisted Guard members with no prior service, current members with three years of service and active duty members who join the Guard within 30 days of discharge and enlist or extend in a qualifying unit for at least six years qualify for the reserve component.

Award: Up to the dollar amount established by the Veteran’s Administration (VA) each month as a full-time student enrolled in a program approved for VA benefits; an established monthly amount is available for soldiers participating in an officer commissioning program such as Reserve Officers’ training Corp (ROTC) or Officer Candidate School (OCS). All soldiers must meet eligibility in their unit, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores.

Eligibility: Active member of the Kentucky National Guard. Member must maintain all minimum standards, be eligible for all positive personnel actions and have completed basic training or its equivalent.

Award: Up to in-state tuition for full- or part-time study at any Kentucky public college while funds are available.