(A) Authority
This rule is established and approved by the adjutant general and the chancellor of higher education, in consultation with the governor's office of workforce transformation (OWT), in accordance with and pursuant to section 5919.34 of the Revised Code.
(B) Policy and Intent
In accordance with section 5919.34 of the Revised Code, the purpose of establishing this rule for the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program is to set forth guidelines for the implementation and administration of the scholarship program for an award to an eligible student enrolled in a credential certifying program, licensing program, trade certificate program or apprenticeship program for an in-demand occupation as identified by the adjutant general and the chancellor of higher education, in consultation with the governor's office of workforce transformation.
The following programs offered by an Ohio provider are identified and approved to be eligible for the scholarship program:
(1) A credential, license, trade certificate or apprenticeship program that has an equivalent one-year option pathway approved by the chancellor that provides training for an occupation that appears on OWT's Ohio's top jobs list (or its successor) at the start of a student's enrollment in the program. If an occupation is subsequently removed from Ohio's top jobs list (or its successor), students that have already begun the program may continue to apply units through the scholarship program while continuously enrolled until completion.
(2) A credential, license, trade certificate or apprenticeship program that does not have an equivalency approved by the chancellor, for up to the cost of 6 units in the following areas:
(a) Crane operator and any other program that is aligned with OWT's Ohio's top jobs list (or its successor), at the time of the student's first enrollment; a student that is continuously enrolled is permitted to complete the program if the program is subsequently removed from the list.
(b) A provider may submit a request to increase the number of units by following the process under paragraph (D) of this rule.
(c) The chancellor and adjutant general may remove a program approved under this paragraph by following the process under (C)(3) of this rule.
(3) In addition to the areas listed in paragraphs (C)(1) and (2) of this rule, the chancellor and the adjutant general, in consultation with OWT, may jointly identify and approve additional programs. If such programs are identified, the chancellor and the adjutant general will post on each agency's website the additional programs.
To remove a program, the chancellor and adjutant general will update the website to include information regarding the date new enrollees are no longer permitted to start the program and send notices to all institutions that have enrolled students in the program within one year of the decision to remove the program. Students already enrolled in the program may continue to apply scholarship units if the student remains continuously enrolled.
(C) An Ohio provider may seek approval of a credential, license, trade certificate or apprenticeship program that is not otherwise eligible under this rule.
(1) The process to submit a program for review is to provide the following to the department of higher education:
(a) Submit evidence of authorization to operate in the state, such as authorization under Chapters 1713., 3332., 3333., of the Revised Code, or other applicable code section or chapter;
(b) Submit evidence of authorization to offer the program, as applicable;
(c) Submit evidence that the program is for an in-demand occupation;
(d) Submit tuition related costs;
(e) Submit curriculum information for the program;
(f) Submit number of credit hours or clock hours needed to complete individual courses within the program;
(g) Submit other documentation as requested by the department of higher education.
(2) Upon approval of a program, the department of higher education will issue an approval letter indicating the length of time for the approval and the number of eligibility units for the program.
(D) "Eligible applicant" has the same meaning as in section 5919.34 of the Revised Code, except that if the eligible applicant is enrolled in a program approved pursuant to this rule and the program is not a credit bearing program, the eligibility units the eligible applicant is entitled to under division (E) of section 5919.34 of the Revised Code will be reduced in the amount determined by the department of higher education during the approval process, which will be not less than 3 units per program.
(E) An Ohio provider, including a state institution of higher education as defined in section 5919.34 of the Revised Code, enrolling an eligible applicant in a noncredit program approved under this rule is to be paid in accordance with division (D)(1)(c) of section 5919.34 of the Revised Code.
Last updated February 10, 2023 at 11:05 AM