1. A. To be eligible to participate in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program and to qualify for an award which includes payment of an amount equivalent to resident tuition or other tuition pursuant to Section 2604 of this title for the first semester or other academic unit of postsecondary enrollment, a student shall:

   1. 1. Be a resident of this state;
   2. 2. Have a record of satisfactory compliance with agreements executed pursuant to Section 2605 of this title;

   3. 3.

      1. a. Have graduated within the previous three (3) years from a high school accredited by the State Board of Education, or the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale for all work attempted in grades nine through twelve, or
      2. b. Have graduated within the previous three (3) years from a high school not accredited by the State Board of Education with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale for all work attempted in grades nine through twelve and have achieved a composite score of 22 or higher on the American College Test;
   4. 4. Have completed the curricular requirements for admission to an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and one additional unit or set of competencies in a course that meets college admission requirements; provided the curriculum requirements shall include two units or sets of competencies in foreign or non-English language or technology courses that meet the college admission requirements and one unit or set of competencies of a fine arts course. Students shall also have attained a 2.5 grade point average in the core curriculum courses; provided that students who attended a high school which did not offer all the core curriculum courses shall be allowed to satisfy this requirement by participating in a program approved by the State Regents for remediation of high school curricular deficiencies;
   5. 5. Have satisfied admission standards as determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for first-time-entering students for the appropriate type of institution, or, if attending a private institution, have satisfied admission standards as determined by the private institution; provided, no student participating in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program shall be admitted into an institution of higher education by special admission standards;
   6. 6. Have secured admission to, and enrolled in, an institution which is a member of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, a postsecondary vocational-technical program offered pursuant to a duly approved cooperative agreement between a technology center school and an institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, or a private institution of higher learning located within this state and accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of this title; and
   7. 7. Have established financial need during the eighth-grade year, ninth-grade year or tenth-grade year according to the standards and provisions promulgated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; a student who satisfies the financial need criteria upon initial participation in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program during the eighth, ninth, or tenth grade shall not later be denied participation in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program on grounds that the student does not meet the financial need criteria.

2. B. To retain eligibility while pursuing the program of higher learning in which enrolled, the student shall:

   1. 1. Maintain good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress according to standards of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; and
   2. 2. Comply with the standards related to maintenance of eligibility as promulgated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
3. C. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education shall promulgate rules relating to maintenance of eligibility under this act by a student.
4. D. It is the intent of the Legislature that students in the ninth grade for the 1992-93 school year who are determined to be eligible Oklahoma Higher Learning Access students pursuant to this act shall be the first students eligible for benefits from the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Trust Fund.
5. E. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are authorized to study, develop and propose criteria for determining students' award eligibility based upon the completion of seven (7) semesters of high school coursework.

Laws 1992, SB 156, c. 353, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 1992; Amended by Laws 1994, SB 959, c. 153, § 2, emerg. eff. May 3, 1994; Amended by Laws 1995, HB 1549, c. 322, § 29, emerg. eff. July 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 1996, SB 1164, c. 119, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1996; Amended by Laws 1999, SB 102, c. 190, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2000, HB 2728, c. 232, § 13, emerg. eff. July 1, 2000 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2001, HB 1214, c. 33, § 144, emerg. eff. July 1, 2001 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2002, HB 2738, c. 293, § 1, emerg. eff. May 22, 2002 (superseded document available).