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Legislation to amend Access Missouri Scholarship
Access Missouri is the state's need-based scholarship program that provides funding to students in both the public and the private sectors of higher education. Currently, Access Missouri is funded at about $95 million per year and more than half of that funding is distributed to students attending private institutions.
2010 Proposed Legislation:
SB784, introduced by Senators Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia and David Pearce, R-Warrensburg on January 14, 2010 (this act is similar to SB390 and HB792 in 2009) would change the Access Missouri awards so that students in the four-year higher education institutions would receive the SAME awards for the 2014-15 academic year and beyond. A student attending an institution classified as part of the public four-year sector, including Linn State Technical College, or approved private institutions will be eligible for $2,850 maximum and $1,500 minimum.
Access Policy for FY2010:
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Two-year public students receive $750 per year maximum.
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Four-year public students receive $1,600 per year maximum.
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Private school students receive $3,450 per year maximum.
Why the changes to equalize the scholarship are justified:
Missouri ranks 45th in per-capita support for public higher education, the state ranks fourth in the percentage of state need-based aid that is provided to students attending private institutions.
Proposed changes to Access Missouri would balance the financial awards for all students attending four-year public or private institutions for 2014-15 academic year and beyond. This change would provide increased scholarship levels and access for more of the state's neediest students at our public institutions, making college attainable and affordable.
Access Missouri's taxpayer-funded scholarships should be equally distributed.