La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § IV-509

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section IV-509 - ACT Testing Deadline

1. The student must take the official ACT test (including national, international, military or special test types) on or before the official April test date in the academic year (high school) in which the student graduates or completes a home study program approved by BESE.

2. A student may submit a request for exception to the deadline established in §509.A 1, which will be considered only under the following circumstances:

a. the student was prevented from taking the ACT test on or prior to the official April test date due to circumstances beyond his control and which are attributable to the administration of the test; and

b. the student achieves a qualifying score on or before August 1 of the year of the student's high school graduation.

c. the award for a student whose request for exception is approved under this Section shall not be reduced as set forth in §509.C

d. except for an applicant who has qualified for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.

3. An eligible non-graduate must take the official ACT test (including national, international, military or special test types) before the first day of the semester the student first enrolls in an eligible college or university.

a. Applicable to 2020 graduates only, the final deadline for achieving a qualifying score on an official ACT test (including national, international, military or special test types) is December 31, 2020. A student may qualify for an initial award or a higher award based on such test. The award for a student who achieves a qualifying ACT score as provided in the Section shall not be reduced as set forth in §509.C

b. The provisions of this Subsection shall apply to any student who:

i. was enrolled in a Louisiana public high school during the 2019-2020 academic year (high school);

ii. was enrolled in a nonpublic high school in Louisiana having the approval by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education required by Part I of this Chapter for program eligibility purposes during the 2019-2020 academic year (high school);

iii. resided in the state of Louisiana and was enrolled in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during the 2019-2020 academic year (high school); or

iv. resided out of state during the 2019-2020 academic year but who is able to meet the residency requirements to qualify for an award as provided for in §703.A.2

c. A student who meets the requirements of this Subsection may request an exception to the December 31, 2020, deadline if the student provides documentation that:

i. he was registered for one or more ACT exams prior to the December 31, 2020 deadline; and

ii. one or more ACT exams for which the student was registered was cancelled due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta, Hurricane Zeta, or due to measures implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and

iii. he was unable to register for an ACT exam that would occur prior to December 31, 2020, that was within a reasonable distance from his home or from the location to which he/his family had been evacuated due to Hurricane Laura or Hurricane Delta.

d. The initial award or upgraded award for any student who requests and is granted an exception in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection shall be paid for the first time during the semester in which the qualifying ACT was achieved.

a. Applicable to 2021 graduates only, the final deadline for achieving a qualifying score on an official ACT test (including national, international, military or special test types) is December 31, 2021. A student may qualify for an initial award or a higher award based on such test. The award for a student who achieves a qualifying ACT score as provided in the Section shall not be reduced as set forth in §509.C

b. The provisions of this Subsection shall apply to any student who:

i. was enrolled in a Louisiana public high school during the 2020-2021 academic year (high school);

iii. resided in the state of Louisiana and was enrolled in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during the 2020-2021 academic year (high school); or

iv. resided out of state during the 2020-2021 academic year but who is able to meet the residency requirements to qualify for an award as provided for in §703.A.2

c. A student who meets the requirements of this Subsection may request an exception to the final deadline if the student provides documentation that:

i. he was registered for one or more ACT exams prior to the December 31, 2021, deadline; and

ii. one or more ACT exams for which the student was registered was cancelled due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta, Hurricane Zeta, Hurricane Ida, or due to measures implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and

iii. he was unable to register for an ACT exam that would occur prior to the deadline, that was within a reasonable distance from his home or from the location to which he/his family had been evacuated due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta, Hurricane Zeta, or Hurricane Ida.

1. The student may substitute an equivalent score, as determined by the comparison tables used by the board, on an equivalent SAT taken on or before the official April test date in the academic year (high school) in which the student graduates. In order to substitute a SAT score, the student must direct the college board to send the score to LOSFA so that the score is electronically reported to LOSFA by the college board within 45 days of the final test date allowed by §509 SAT scores received in any other manner shall not be considered.

2. An eligible non-graduate may substitute an equivalent score, as determined by the comparison tables used by the board, on an equivalent SAT taken before the first day of the semester the student first enrolls in an eligible college or university. In order to substitute an SAT score, the student must direct the college board to send the score to LOSFA so that the score is electronically reported to LOSFA by the college board within 45 days of the final test date allowed by §509 SAT scores received in any other manner shall not be considered.

C. Final ACT Testing Deadline for Reduced Awards

a. Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2000 through 2003, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the date of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or quarters. Except for an applicant who has qualified for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.

i. Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2004 through 2010, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or quarters. Except for an applicant who has qualified for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.

ii. Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2011, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted or, if the board determines that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to July 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the student and attributable to the administration of the test, the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to October 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or quarters. Except for an applicant who has qualified for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.

c. Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2020, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to August 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted, or, if the board determines that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to August 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the student and attributable to the administration of the test, the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to October 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or quarters unless the student can demonstrate that he was unable to take the test on or prior to the April national ACT test date due to circumstances beyond his control which are attributable to the administration of the test. An applicant will be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.

c. For the purpose of the Subsection, the April national ACT test date shall be defined as the month of April.

d. Tests taken by an eligible non-graduate after the first day of the semester the student first enrolls in an eligible college or university shall not be accepted.

a. Beginning with applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 1997 through 2010, applicants who fail to achieve an ACT or SAT qualifying score prior to July 1 of the year of high school graduation shall not be considered for an award.

b. Beginning with applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2011 through 2019, applicants shall not be considered for an award if they fail to achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT prior to July 1 of the year of high school graduation, or prior to October 1 of the year of high school graduation, if the board determines that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to July 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the student and attributable to the administration of the test.

D. For 1997 and 1998 high school graduates who have not previously taken an ACT test, the ACT score shall include those scores obtained from a national ACT test taken not later than the October 1998 national test date.

E. Students who graduated during the 1998-1999 school year who are otherwise qualified for a TOPS Award and who obtained a qualifying score on the ACT test or the scholastic aptitude test on an authorized testing date after the date of the student's graduation but prior to July 1, 1999 shall be considered to have met the requirements of §509.A and B.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § IV-509

Promulgated by the Student Financial Assistance Commission, Office of Student Financial Assistance, LR 26:1995 (September 2000), amended LR 26:2000 (September 2000), LR 27:36 (January 2001), LR 27:284 (March 2001), repromulgated LR 27:1847 (November 2001), amended LR 30:1161 (June 2004), LR 31:37 (January 2005), LR 38:3157 (December 2012), Amended by the Board of Regents, Office of Student Financial Assistance, LR 44503 (3/1/2018), Amended LR 441869 (10/1/2018), Amended by the Board of Regents, Office of Student Financial Assistance, LR 46, Amended LR 4738 (1/1/2021), Amended LR 47, Amended LR 47863 (7/1/2021), Amended LR 48481 (3/1/2022), Amended LR 4945 (1/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:3021-3031, R.S. 17:3042.1 and R.S. 17:5001 et seq.