Prohibiting promise scholarship awards from being used to fund corequisite courses.
Summary
SB 340 amends the Kansas Promise Scholarship program to bar scholarship funds from being used for corequisite courses, while continuing to allow funding for eligible promise programs and their associated tuition, required fees, books, and required materials. The bill also preserves existing limits on scholarship eligibility and award amounts, including household income thresholds, a lifetime cap of 68 funded credit hours or $20,000, and the requirement that awards be reduced by other nonrepayable aid.
The measure keeps the program’s reimbursement-based administration through the Kansas Board of Regents and retains the annual program appropriation cap of $10 million. It also continues the current exclusions for prerequisite classes unless they are designated program courses and for remedial courses, but clarifies that remedial coursework may still be covered when offered in a corequisite format. In effect, the bill narrows how scholarship dollars may be applied within postsecondary programs, especially for students who rely on developmental education supports.
Impact
SB 340 would amend K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,274, the statute governing the Kansas Promise Scholarship program, and repeal the existing version of that section. Its main legal effect is to prohibit use of Kansas Promise Scholarship awards for corequisite courses, while leaving the rest of the scholarship structure intact, including eligibility, award calculation, reimbursement procedures, and appropriation limits. The bill affects eligible public and private postsecondary institutions, the Kansas Board of Regents, and students receiving promise scholarships, particularly those enrolled in remedial or developmental coursework tied to a promise-eligible program.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill, with the Senate passing it 40-0 on final action. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, but the unanimous vote suggests broad agreement with the policy change. The bill’s caption and text indicate a targeted technical/policy adjustment rather than a major restructuring of the scholarship program.
Contention
The likely point of contention is the treatment of corequisite coursework, especially for students who need academic support to complete promise-eligible programs. Supporters appear to favor restricting scholarship dollars to direct program costs and limiting use on coursework viewed as outside the core promise pathway. Opponents, if any, would likely be concerned that excluding corequisite courses could reduce access or affordability for students who need developmental support to succeed, particularly in programs that integrate remediation with credit-bearing instruction.
Expanding the postsecondary educational institutions eligible to participate in the Kansas promise scholarship program and increasing the maximum annual appropriation limit.