5451.01 - WISCONSIN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP
Wisconsin's Academic Excellence Scholarship is a State supported program, jointly administered by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Higher Education Aids Board (HEAB). The program offers scholarship recipients an exemption from specified tuition and fees for post high school education at eligible higher education institutions in Wisconsin.
By February 25th of each school year, the School Board will designate the appropriate number of senior(s) from the high school with the highest grade point average in all subjects as scholars eligible to receive an Academic Excellence Scholarship.
The following standards must be met to qualify for the Academic Excellence Scholarships. The student and alternates must:
be a resident of the United States who is either a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
be a Wisconsin resident as defined in 36.27 Wis. Stats.;
have achieved senior status and have been in attendance for three (3) consecutive semesters during their junior and senior years;
must be selected based on the Grade Point Average (GPA) on the student's official transcript as of the last day of the semester which ended just prior to February25th.
The grade point average (GPA) computation will be in accord with School Board Policy 5430 - Class Rank. In selecting the scholarship recipient(s) for the Academic Excellence Scholarship, unweighted grades for seven (7) semesters will be used to compute grade point averages.
Students enrolled under the full-time public school Open-Enrollment Program who qualify based on the standards identified above are eligible for the Academic Excellence Scholarship in the school they actually attend.
The designation of scholar will be awarded to the qualifying student(s) with the highest grade point average. The scholar's GPA shall be computed to as many places past the decimal point as necessary to determine a distinction between the scholars.
In the event of a tie involving the GPAs:
The number of credits obtained will become a factor. If one (1) student has obtained more credits than the other and has maintained the same GPA, he/she will then be valedictorian or salutatorian, whichever is in question.
Should there still be a tie, the percent averages will be calculated to the thousandth percentile. Example: Percent Average = 98.067%
If a tie still exists, the student's ACT scores will be compared. The student with the highest ACT score will be the school's valedictorian and/or salutatorian, whichever is in question.
If this does not break the tie, then as enacted in 39.41 of State statutes, the School Board shall select the pupil who will represent the class.
Criteria used by the Board of Education
The student's involvement in extra-curricular activities.
The student's involvement in community activities.
Upon completion of a faculty/staff type of survey, to be submitted to the Board of Education for review, the overall character of the students can be brought into the selection process.
Except for the limitation on the number of designated scholars, the faculty of the high school shall select the applicable number of seniors for designation as scholars and shall certify, in order of priority, any remaining seniors with the same grade point average as alternates for the scholars or, if there is no remaining senior with the same grade point average, any remaining seniors with the next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800 or the equivalent, as alternates for the scholars.