1. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award may hold the award for 4 years if the recipient:

   1. (1) Continues to be a resident of this State;
   2. (2) Continues to be a full-time student at an eligible institution and takes at least 12 semester hours of courses each semester, or its equivalent as determined by the Office;
   3. (3) In the judgment of the institution, is making satisfactory progress toward a degree; and
   4. (4) Maintains the standards of the institution.
2. (b) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award who is enrolled in an associate degree program as permitted in § 18-303(a)(1) of this subtitle may hold the award for 2 years if the same conditions of subsection (a) of this section are met.

3. (c) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award may hold the award for a 5th year if the recipient continues to satisfy the requirements under subsection (a) of this section and:

   1. (1) Is enrolled in an academic program that, as determined by the institution, requires 5 years to complete; or
   2. (2) Provides evidence, satisfactory to the Office, of extenuating financial, academic, or other circumstances that prevent the recipient from completing the academic program in 4 years.

4. (d) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award who is enrolled in an associate degree program as permitted in § 18-303(a)(1) of this subtitle may hold the award for a 3rd year if the recipient:

   1. (1) Continues to satisfy the requirements under subsection (a) of this section; and
   2. (2) Provides evidence, satisfactory to the Office, of extenuating financial, academic, or other circumstances that prevent the recipient from completing the academic program in 2 years.

Added as Education § 18-305 by Acts 1978, c. 22, § 2, eff. July 1, 1978. Amended by Acts 1979, c. 465; Acts 1980, c. 712, § 2; Acts 1988, c. 246, §§ 2, 4, eff. July 1, 1988; Acts 1988, c. 629; Acts 1989, c. 5, §§ 1, 9; Acts 1989, c. 605, § 2; Acts 1991, c. 462, § 3. Renumbered as Education § 18-306 by Acts 1996, c. 10, § 16, eff. April 9, 1996. Amended by Acts 1999, c. 694, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1999; Acts 2002, c. 315, § 1, eff. July 1, 2002; Acts 2002, c. 429, § 1, eff. July 1, 2002; Acts 2007, c. 491, § 2, eff. July 1, 2007; Acts 2016, c. 689, § 3, eff. July 1, 2016; Acts 2016, c. 690, § 3, eff. July 1, 2016.