lacrao articulation workshops 2017 · louisiana office of student financial assistance (losfa) a...

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access

Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) A program under The Board of Regents

LACRAO

Articulation

Workshops

2017



Legislative and Rule

Changes



TOPS• Funding for TOPS is contingent upon appropriation.• Beginning with the graduating class of 2016,TOPS Award

amounts are decoupled from tuition and are set to the maximum TOPS “fully funded” amount as the tuition charged by the institution for the 2016-2017 academic year.

• For 2018 graduates, the Louisiana Legislature adjourns on June 4, 2018. LOSFA will know after the session ends if TOPS is fully funded.

• For students graduating in 2018 and thereafter, Human Anatomy and Physiology as been added as a course equivalent (substitute) for Biology II.



• TOPS Awards will be distributed to all students according to a pro-rata distribution of the available funds (LA Revised Statue 17:5065 (D).

– Performance and Honors Award Stipends are subject to reduction under the pro-rata distribution

– TOPS Tech Early Start Award and the National Guard stipend are not subject to reduction under the pro-rata distribution.

What Happens in the Event of a Budget Shortfall?



• Only available if TOPS is not fully funded (budget shortfall)

• Student can “opt out” of receiving their TOPS Award in the event of a budget shortfall

• Students must have a Student Hub account (available on LOSFA’s website at www.osfa.la.gov) to opt out of their TOPS Award payment

• Students who opt out will not be required to enroll full time or maintain continuous enrollment during the academic year in which they opt out

Opt-Out Option During Budget Shortfall

http://www.osfa.la.gov/



• If the student opts out the time period for a student whose awards are suspended for failure to meet Steady Academic Progress WILL NOT be extended.

• Students who opt out must use all of their TOPS eligibility within 5 years of the budget shortfall– Maybe extended if student requests an exception for cause in

accordance with administrative rules.

Opt-Out Option During Budget Shortfall



• For students graduating in 2018 and thereafter, Human Anatomy and Physiology as been added as a course equivalent (substitute) for Biology II.

• Beginning with students graduating in 2021, the GPA for TOPS Performance Award will be a 3.25 and the GPA for TOPS Honors Award will be a 3.50.



• Beginning with 2018 grads, credit for both AP Physics I (one unit) and AP Physics II (one unit) for a total of 2 units will meet the 2 unit science category requirement for the TOPS Core Curriculum.

• Beginning with 2018 grads, credit for AP Physics I alone or AP Physics II alone cannot be used with another science course to meet the 2 unit science requirement for the TOPS Core Curriculum.



TOPS Core Curriculum GPA• Beginning with students graduating in the 2017-2018 school year and

thereafter, the calculation of the TOPS Core Curriculum grade point average (GPA) will use a five- (5.00) point scale for grades earned in certain designated Advanced Placement (AP) courses; International Baccalaureate (IB) courses; Gifted courses; Dual Enrollment courses, Honors courses and Articulated courses offered for college credit by the Louisiana School for the Math, Science and the Arts used to complete the TOPS Core Curriculum.

• The courses currently designated to be calculated on the 5.00 point scale can be viewed at https://www.osfa.la.gov/5scale.

https://www.osfa.la.gov/5scale



TOPS Tech Award

• Beginning with the graduating class of 2017, the TOPS

Tech Award may be used to pursue– associate's degree or other shorter-term training and

education programs, including skill, occupational, vocational,

technical, certificate, and academic, that the Workforce

Investment Council (WIC) and the Board of Regents (BOR)

determine are aligned to state workforce priorities.



TOPS TECH PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY COUNCIL APPROVED PROGRAMS

DEGREE INSTITUION DISCIPLINE

ASBRCC

COMPUTER SCIENCESUSLA

AS DelgadoELECTRICAL-ELECT. ENGINEER

TECH

AS SLCC INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

AS NichollsPETROLEUM SERVICES

SAFETY TECHNOLOGY

AA McNeesePARALEGAL STUDIES

Nunez

AAAS

Delgado

CRIMINAL JUSTICEBRCC

FTCC

ASCJ LSUE





AS HSC-NODENTAL LABORATORY

TECHNOLOGY

AS FTCCCARDIOPULMONARY CARE

SCIENCE

AS LSUE RESPIRATORY CARE

AS BRCC SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY

AS LSUARADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY

LSUE





ASN BPCC

NURSING

BRCC

Delgado

FTCC

La Tech

LDCC

LSUA

LSUE

NSU

SLCC

SOEWELA

SUSLA





AS BRCCBUSINESS

SLCC

Delgado BUSINESSADMINISTRATION

SUSLA BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

AS SUSLAACCOUNTING

Delgado

***The TOPS Award Amount for TOPS Tech eligible students who enroll in a

proprietary or cosmetology school or in an associate’s degree program at a school that

offers a baccalaureate degree in that same program is an average of the amounts paid

to TOPS Tech eligible students in all other TOPS Tech eligible programs.



• If one of the eligible programs becomes ineligible in future years, students who are currently in the program will be allowed to complete that program and receive their TOPS Tech Award. No new students would be eligible for TOPS Tech funding after a determination that the program has become ineligible.

• All current TOPS Tech eligible programs remain eligible for 2018 high school graduates. Funding for all TOPS awards is contingent upon appropriations.



Professional School

Counselor Webinars 2017

• Wednesday, September 13, 2017

• Thursday, September 14, 2017

• Registration link will be sent via e-mail

• If you are not receiving blast e-mails from LOSFA,

please e-mail [email protected] to be

added to the e-mail list. LOSFA is in the process of

updating the counselor e-mail list.

mailto:[email protected]



Schedule a LOSFA Visit!• LOSFA Representatives are available at no cost

for daytime and evening seminars/workshops and college fairs

• Seminars Available– TOPS

– TOPS & FAFSA

– Financial Aid Overview

– FLY: Financial Literacy for You

– START

– TOPS Retention

– College Application Workshops

− FAFSA Completion Workshops

− FSA ID Workshops

* Beginning with the 2018 high school graduates, FAFSA is a graduation requirement



• Email or fax the event request form to Breanna Paul and Sabrina Johnson as early as possible to schedule your event

– [email protected]

– [email protected]

– Fax: (225) 208-1496

• Requests must be received at least 30 days prior to the date of the event

• Scheduling a college fair with LACRAO does not include LOSFA. Feel free to invite LOSFA to your LACRAO event.





Trailblazer Leadership Program

• Juniors can apply directly to LOSFA– Professional School Counselor must certify application

– Parent must also sign application

• Students will participate in a variety of college access activities at their high school

• Timenee Thomas and Rhonda Bridevaux will make visits to Trailblazers during the school year

• 2017-2018 Trailblazers have the opportunity to earn scholarships



October is Louisiana College Application and Access Month!

• If you would like your school to participate in Louisiana College Application Month, please complete the registration available here: http://www.osfa.la.gov/LCAAM/documents/LCAAMRegForm.pdf

• Return the form to [email protected]

http://www.osfa.la.gov/LCAAM/documents/LCAAMRegForm.pdf




Louisiana College Application and Access Month

• A national initiative designed to increase the number of first-generation and low-income students who pursue postsecondary education

• Program goals:

– To ensure every graduating senior, at participating high schools, submits at least one admissions application

– To promote a college-going culture in schools

– To encourage best match and fit for each student



• ALL Louisiana High Schools can participate this October!

• Contact LOSFA’s Brandi Morrison at [email protected] in order to secure your school’s participation

• Your school will be sent Site Coordinator and Volunteer Training manuals that include step-by-step planning timelines for implementing Louisiana College Application and Access Month at your school in October

Louisiana College Application and Access Month




LOUISIANA

November 5, 2017



• College Goal Sunday is a FREE event designed to help Louisiana college-bound students and their families with the financial aid application process

• Financial Aid professionals will be on hand to help complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• A particular focus of College Goal Sunday is on helping low-income, first-generation college student families through the process

• Open to all college-bound students: high school students and adults

• November 5, 2017 from 2-4 pm at numerous locations throughout the state. Doors open at 1:30 pm. Participants need to stay for the entire event.



LOSFA Social Media Siteshttp://www.facebook.com/LOSFA

http://www.twitter.com/LOSFA

http://www.youtube.com/LOSFA1000

http://instagram.com/losfa001



Contact LOSFA

www.osfa.la.gov

[email protected]

(225) 219-10128:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday

lacrao articulation workshops 2017 · louisiana office of student financial assistance (losfa) a...

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