Changes to 21st Century Scholars program help keep students from falling through the cracks

Too few Indiana students were applying for a scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition at state public universities and colleges. Now a new law automatically enrolls qualified students. State officials are making additional changes to help keep students from falling through the cracks.

The 21st Century Scholars program helps Indiana high school students who otherwise might not be able to afford to pay for college.

Before the new law was passed, youth in foster care were among the only students automatically enrolled. Advocates say they often fell through the cracks because the state didn’t have updated contact information.

The state is making changes to help address that problem. Josh Garrison is with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. He said the 21^st Century Scholars program will use a new process this school year to update student information at the same time it is updated in schools.

“It'll be reported to the Department of Education, including their address and information,” he said. “And we'll be able to change that in not quite real time, but as close to real time as we can get it.”

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Garrison said students and family members can also change students’ information and check their progress toward completing program requirements online by using ScholarTrack.

Kirsten is the education reporter for Indiana Public Broadcsting. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.

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