261.22 - ACCELERATED CAREER EDUCATION GRANTS.

        261.22  ACCELERATED CAREER EDUCATION GRANTS.
         1.  An accelerated career education grant program is established
      to be administered by the college student aid commission.  An
      individual is eligible for the grant program if the individual is a
      resident of this state who is enrolled at a community college as a
      participant in an accelerated career education program in accordance
      with the provisions of chapter 260G.  The college student aid
      commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for determining
      financial need and to administer this section and shall develop and
      implement a method for allocating moneys based upon the need for
      skills and occupations for which an applied technical education is
      required.
         2.  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an
      applicant shall, in accordance with the rules of the commission, do
      the following:
         a.  Complete and file an application for an accelerated career
      education grant.  The individual shall be responsible for the prompt
      submission of any information required by the commission.
         b.  File a new application and submit information as required
      by the commission annually on the basis of which the applicant's
      eligibility for the renewed grant will be evaluated and determined.
         3.  If a student receives financial aid from any source other than
      the program established under this section, the full amount of such
      financial aid shall be considered part of the student's financial
      resources available in determining the amount of the student's
      financial need for the period of the financial aid.  Grant moneys
      received by a student in accordance with this section shall be used
      to pay the student's cost of attendance, which includes community
      college tuition and fees, materials, textbooks and supplies,
      transportation, room and board, dependent care during the time the
      person is in class, and the purchase or rental of a computer.
         4.  The amount of the grant shall not exceed a student's annual
      financial need or two thousand dollars, whichever is less.  The
      grants shall be awarded on an annual basis.  Applicants who meet the
      application deadline shall be ranked by the commission in order of
      need.  The commission shall award grants to applicants in order of
      need beginning with applicants with the greatest need, insofar as
      funds permit.  If a student receiving grant moneys discontinues
      attendance before the end of any term, the entire amount of any
      refund due that student, up to the amount of any payments made under
      the grant, shall be paid by the institution to the state for deposit
      in the accelerated career education grant fund.
         5.  An accelerated career education grant fund is created in the
      state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the
      commission.  Moneys in the fund shall be used for accelerated career
      education grants.  The fund shall consist of any moneys appropriated
      by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and
      obtained or accepted by the commission from the federal government or
      private sources for placement in the fund.  Notwithstanding section
      8.33, any balance in the fund on June 30 of each fiscal year shall
      not revert to the general fund of the state, but shall be available
      for the purposes of this section in subsequent fiscal years.
         6.  By December 15 of each year, the commission shall submit a
      report to the general assembly, the department of management, and the
      legislative services agency including, but not limited to, all of the
      following data:
         a.  The total funding of the grant program for the previous
      fiscal year itemized by type of funding including state, federal, or
      other funding.  The information shall also be provided according to
      each community college.
         b.  The expenditures under the grant program and related
      information of the grant program including, but not limited to, all
      of the following:
         (1)  The number of participants in the accelerated career
      education program receiving moneys under the grant program.
         (2)  The number of participants in the accelerated career
      education program receiving moneys under the grant program who remain
      in the state upon completion of a program agreement.
         (3)  The number of participants in the accelerated career
      education program receiving moneys under the grant program who
      successfully complete a program agreement and the number who fail to
      successfully complete a program agreement.
         c.  Any other information requested by the general assembly.
      
         Section History: Recent Form
         2000 Acts, ch 1196, §8, 10; 2003 Acts, ch 35, §45, 49