Earnings by Education Level

Minimum wage job in Missouri $6.65 per hour $266

Median weekly Unemployment
Level of education
earnings in 2006 rate in 2006

Some High School, No Diploma $419 6.8%

High School Graduate $595 4.3%
Some College, No Degree $674 3.9%
Associate Degree $721 3.0%
Bachelor’s Degree $962 2.3%
Master’s Degree $1,140 1.7%
Professional Degree $1,474 1.1%
Doctoral Degree $1,441 1.4%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

TUITION COSTS (per year)
 Missouri State--$6,256
 SBU--$15,000
 University of Missouri (MU)--$8,500
 OTC--$2,430-$3,360
A+ SCHOOLS PROGRAM
What is it?

The A+ Schools Program encourages

students to stay in school, make career
plans, tutor students, and graduate with
the skills and knowledge required for
career success or to pursue advanced
education.
A+ SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Why does the state of Missouri have this program?

“One of the most important education imperatives facing the state of

Missouri is to reach out to youngsters who are not headed to college and
keep them from dropping out of high school. About half of our high
school graduates do not go on to college and one in four students
entering high school never graduate. (1992)

The A+ Schools Program will mobilize an intensive partnership among high

schools, community colleges, students, teachers, parents, labor, businesses, and
communities to give these students the motivation, skills, and knowledge to
graduate from high school. It will create an innovative and well-designed path
from high school to high skill, high wage jobs.” (Excerpts from a speech on World
Class Schools for Missouri by Gov. Mel Carnahan, May 1992)
TUITION INCENTIVE
 Qualified students will receive reimbursement for
the cost of tuition and general fees, subject to
legislative appropriation, to attend any Missouri
public community college or career-technical
school for 2 years (6 semesters).*
 Student financial incentives will be available for a
period of four (4) years after high school
graduation

*The tuition incentives will only be made available to reimburse the unpaid balance of the cost of tuition
and general fees subject to legislative appropriation after the federal postsecondary student financial
assistance funds have been applied to these costs.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 Each student must enter into a written agreement with the
school prior to high school graduation
 Have attended a designated A+ School for three (3)
consecutive years prior to high school graduation
 Graduated from high school with an overall grade point
average of 2.5 or higher
 Have at least a ninety-five percent (95%) attendance record
overall for grades 9-12
 Performed fifty (50) hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring
for younger students
 Maintained a record of good citizenship and avoidance of
the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol
 MAINTAINING ELIGIBILITY
To maintain eligibility, each participating student
must during the four (4)-year period of incentive
availability
 Have enrolled and attend on a full-time basis a
Missouri public community college or vocational
or technical school
 Maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher

The tuition incentives will only be made available to reimburse the unpaid balance of the cost of tuition,
general fees and up to fifty percent (50%) of the book cost subject to legislative appropriation after the federal
postsecondary student financial assistance funds have been applied to these costs.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

Classes Grade Points Classes Grade Points

Block 1 A 4 Block 1 A 4
Block 2 B 3 Block 2 B 3
Block 3 B 3 Block 3 B 3
Block 4 B 3 Block 4 C 2
Block 5 C 2 Block 5 C 2
Block 6 C 2 Block 6 C 2
Block 7 C 2 Block 7 D 1
Block 8 D 1 Block 8 F 0
20/8=2.5 17/8=2.125
GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

Classes Grade Points Classes Grade Points

Block 1 A 4 Block 1 B 3
Block 2 A 4 Block 2 B 3
Block 3 B 3 Block 3 B 3
Block 4 B 3 Block 4 B 3
Block 5 B 3 Block 5 C 2
Block 6 C 2 Block 6 C 2
Block 7 D 1 Block 7 C 2
Block 8 F 0 Block 8 C 2
20/8=2.5 20/8=2. 5
ATTENDANCE & TUTORING
 To maintain 95% attendance you cannot miss
more than 8 days per year
 A+ Tutoring semester class is available during your
junior or senior year
 After school tutoring at BIS
 BPS evening meetings
 Mentor
 Teacher Aide
CITIZENSHIP AGREEMENT
AUTOMATIC INELIGIBILITY
 Drugs/Alcohol/ Abuse
 Violation of the Bolivar R-I School District Drug/Alcohol Abuse policy
outlined in the board policy during the A+ contract time
 Unlawful possession and/or selling of drugs or alcohol which is
formally reported to the school through the Safe Schools Act
 Violation of Local, State or Federal Criminal
Laws
 Conviction of a felony
 Conviction of criminal activity that is formally reported to the school
by the juvenile officer as defined by the Safe Schools Act.
CITIZENSHIP AGREEMENT
 In addition to the automatic ineligibility guidelines, a
student who has accumulated a total of three (3) days of In-
School Suspension (ISS) or Out-of-School Suspension
(OSS) during the school year will be placed on probation
for the remainder of the school year including summer
school.
 If placed on probation, the student and parents/guardian
will be required to attend a conference with the A+
Coordinator and the Principal in order for the student to
remain in the A+ program. If a student receives any
additional ISS or OSS offense while on probation, the
decision to remove the student from the A+ program will
be made by the A+ Review Committee.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 Signing an agreement does not mean you HAVE to
use the A+ tuition incentive
 Sometimes our plans change
 Students wanting a four year degree can transfer
hours
 A+ Scholarships given by 4 year institutions