A+ benefits

Missouri's A+ Schools Program provides free tuition and fees for qualifying students attending community colleges or technical schools after they graduate from high school. Currently, 274 districts across the state are involved in the program. And the Jackson School District is working on being designated an A+ school district. Nearly 80 Jackson students, including 23 seniors, have signed up for the program.

Area school districts that already have the A+ designation include Cape Girardeau, Oak Ridge and Woodland. To qualify for the A+ benefits, students must maintain a 95 percent attendance record throughout high school, complete 50 hours of mentoring and maintain at least a 2. 5 grade-point average (6.86 on Jackson's 11-point system).

The A+ program was created by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993. A+ financial aid is made available to students who have already made a good-faith effort to obtain federal financial aid that doesn't require repayment. The program is financed through the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

A+ has made opportunities for higher education a reality for thousands of Missouri students since its inception. Districts that provide the program are giving students who work hard a leg up on getting the training they need.