House Bill 120- Reducing the TOPS Requirements for Homeschoolers.

Author:
Representative Herman Hill

Summary:

Victory! House Bill 120 passed both the House and the Senate with unanimous support. The bill is now just waiting for the Governor's signature.

House Bill 120 has reduced the requirement that homeschool students score three points higher than public school graduates on the ACT college entrance exam to two points higher in order to be eligible for the Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS). A student who has completed an approved home study program and was enrolled in the program no later than the end of the 10th grade will now be eligible for TOPS financial aid if they score 2 points higher than the total required for public school students. Currently the minimum ACT scores a public school student is required to receive to be eligible are:

(1) For a TOPS-Tech award - 17,
(2) For an Opportunity Award - 20,
(3) For a Performance Award - 23,
(4) For an Honors Award - 27.

While there still is a difference between the scores necessary for a homeschool student and a public school student to be eligible for TOPS aid, it is moving in the right direction for homeschoolers. Several legislators mentioned in various committee hearings that the difference should be eliminated completely but that will have to wait for another year.

HSLDA's Position:
HSLDA supported this bill.

Action Requested:
No action needed at this time.

Status:

04/04/05		Prefiled.
04/04/05		Under the rules, provisionally referred to the House Committee on Education.
04/25/05		Read by title and referred to the House Committee on Education.
05/11/05		Reported by favorably (11-0), with the recommendation to recommit to the Committee on Appropriations.
05/12/05		Read by title, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
06/01/05		Reported favorably (11-0) (Regular).
06/06/05		Read third time by title in House, roll called on final passage, yeas 102, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
06/06/05		Received in the Senate; rules suspended; read first time by title.
06/07/05		Read second time by title and referred to committee on Education.
06/09/05		Reported favorably.
06/16/05		Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and finally passed as amended, 37 yeas and 0 nays; title read and adopted and bill ordered to the House.
06/16/05		Received from the Senate with amendments.
06/17/05		Read by title, roll called, yeas 91, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
06/20/05		Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
06/20/05		Signed by the President of the Senate.
06/21/05		Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

Other Resources

Bill Text   (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)