Governor restores $2M in A+ funding

Gov. Jay Nixon's release of $2 million for Missouri's A+ Scholarship program could soften the blow of a potential reimbursement reduction.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education had said state budget restrictions and growing use of A+ could reduce reimbursement for tuition and fees by up to four credit hours.

With the fund release, the reduction should be less than anticipated, department communications and marketing director Liz Coleman said in an email. But Coleman wrote it's still possible the department will not be able to fully reimburse tuition costs for all eligible students for the spring 2015 semester.

Coleman said the Department of Higher Education should be able to determine the number of credit hours that will not be reimbursed by late December or early January. The other factor that will affect reimbursement levels for the spring semester is the number of students who will be reimbursed for the fall 2014 semester.

Scott Holste, Nixon's press secretary, said the total A+ budget is $31.1 million, which includes general revenue, lottery and some other funding.

The Missouri Legislature had budgeted an increase of $6.7 million for A+ scholarships. In June, Nixon restricted $2 million of that increase, Holste said in an email.

On Nov. 5, the governor released the $2 million restriction, so the entire $6.7 million increase is now available, bringing the total for A+ scholarships from general revenue to $11,453,878, Holste wrote.

The Department of Higher Education estimates 14,000 students will receive the scholarship during the 2014-2015 school year, with a 3 percent rise in the anticipated number of recipients, Coleman said.

"At this point, we do not have a projection for the amount of funding that would be required to fully reimburse tuition costs for students qualifying for the A+ program," Coleman said. "This is due to the fact that we do not have final figures in for the number of students receiving A+ tuition reimbursement for the fall 2014 semester.

"These are also the figures we need to determine the exact number of the credit hours that reimbursement for the spring semester will be reduced," Coleman added.

A+ has been popular among high school students in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City, and educators say some students might not be able to further their educations without it.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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