Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part IV - Student Financial Assistance-Higher Education Scholarship and Grant Programs
Chapter 5 - Applications, Federal Grant Aid and ACT Test
Section IV-509 - ACT Testing Deadline
Universal Citation: LA Admin Code IV-509
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A.
1. The student must take the official ACT
test (including national, international, military or special test types) on or
before the official April test date in the academic year (high school) in which
the student graduates or completes a home study program approved by
BESE.
2. A student may submit a
request for exception to the deadline established in
§509.A 1, which will be
considered only under the following circumstances:
a. the student was prevented from taking the
ACT test on or prior to the official April test date due to circumstances
beyond his control and which are attributable to the administration of the
test; and
b. the student achieves a
qualifying score on or before August 1 of the year of the student's high school
graduation.
c. the award for a
student whose request for exception is approved under this Section shall not be
reduced as set forth in
§509.C
d. except for an applicant who has qualified
for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an
applicant will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April
national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.
3. An eligible non-graduate must take the
official ACT test (including national, international, military or special test
types) before the first day of the semester the student first enrolls in an
eligible college or university.
4.
a. Applicable to 2020 graduates only, the
final deadline for achieving a qualifying score on an official ACT test
(including national, international, military or special test types) is December
31, 2020. A student may qualify for an initial award or a higher award based on
such test. The award for a student who achieves a qualifying ACT score as
provided in the Section shall not be reduced as set forth in
§509.C
b. The provisions of this Subsection shall
apply to any student who:
i. was enrolled in
a Louisiana public high school during the 2019-2020 academic year (high
school);
ii. was enrolled in a
nonpublic high school in Louisiana having the approval by the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education required by Part I of this Chapter for
program eligibility purposes during the 2019-2020 academic year (high
school);
iii. resided in the state
of Louisiana and was enrolled in a home study program approved by the State
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during the 2019-2020 academic year
(high school); or
iv. resided out
of state during the 2019-2020 academic year but who is able to meet the
residency requirements to qualify for an award as provided for in
§703.A.2
c. A student who meets
the requirements of this Subsection may request an exception to the December
31, 2020, deadline if the student provides documentation that:
i. he was registered for one or more ACT
exams prior to the December 31, 2020 deadline; and
ii. one or more ACT exams for which the
student was registered was cancelled due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta,
Hurricane Zeta, or due to measures implemented to mitigate the spread of
COVID-19; and
iii. he was unable to
register for an ACT exam that would occur prior to December 31, 2020, that was
within a reasonable distance from his home or from the location to which he/his
family had been evacuated due to Hurricane Laura or Hurricane
Delta.
d. The initial
award or upgraded award for any student who requests and is granted an
exception in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection shall be paid
for the first time during the semester in which the qualifying ACT was
achieved.
5.
a. Applicable to 2021 graduates only, the
final deadline for achieving a qualifying score on an official ACT test
(including national, international, military or special test types) is December
31, 2021. A student may qualify for an initial award or a higher award based on
such test. The award for a student who achieves a qualifying ACT score as
provided in the Section shall not be reduced as set forth in
§509.C
b. The provisions of this Subsection shall
apply to any student who:
i. was enrolled in a
Louisiana public high school during the 2020-2021 academic year (high
school);
ii. was enrolled in a
nonpublic high school in Louisiana having the approval by the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education required by Part I of this Chapter for
program eligibility purposes during the 2020-2021 academic year (high
school);
iii. resided in the state
of Louisiana and was enrolled in a home study program approved by the State
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during the 2020-2021 academic year
(high school); or
iv. resided out
of state during the 2020-2021 academic year but who is able to meet the
residency requirements to qualify for an award as provided for in
§703.A.2
c. A student who meets
the requirements of this Subsection may request an exception to the final
deadline if the student provides documentation that:
i. he was registered for one or more ACT
exams prior to the December 31, 2021, deadline; and
ii. one or more ACT exams for which the
student was registered was cancelled due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta,
Hurricane Zeta, Hurricane Ida, or due to measures implemented to mitigate the
spread of COVID-19; and
iii. he was
unable to register for an ACT exam that would occur prior to the deadline, that
was within a reasonable distance from his home or from the location to which
he/his family had been evacuated due to Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta,
Hurricane Zeta, or Hurricane Ida.
B.
1. The
student may substitute an equivalent score, as determined by the comparison
tables used by the board, on an equivalent SAT taken on or before the official
April test date in the academic year (high school) in which the student
graduates. In order to substitute a SAT score, the student must direct the
college board to send the score to LOSFA so that the score is electronically
reported to LOSFA by the college board within 45 days of the final test date
allowed by
§509 SAT scores received in any other
manner shall not be considered.
2.
An eligible non-graduate may substitute an equivalent score, as determined by
the comparison tables used by the board, on an equivalent SAT taken before the
first day of the semester the student first enrolls in an eligible college or
university. In order to substitute an SAT score, the student must direct the
college board to send the score to LOSFA so that the score is electronically
reported to LOSFA by the college board within 45 days of the final test date
allowed by
§509 SAT scores received in any other
manner shall not be considered.
C. Final ACT Testing Deadline for Reduced Awards
1.
a.
Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high
school) 2000 through 2003, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score
on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national
ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the
applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized
testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the
applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such
graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant
whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the
date of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year
of such graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall
be reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at
an eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than
semesters or quarters. Except for an applicant who has qualified for a
TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant
will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT
test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.
b.
i.
Beginning with awards made to applicants graduating in academic year (high
school) 2004 through 2010, if an applicant does not achieve a qualifying score
on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national
ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, then the
applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized
testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the
applicant's high school graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such
graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant
whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the
April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school
graduation but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation, the applicant's
period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one semester, two
quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible institution which
operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or quarters. Except
for an applicant who has qualified for a TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the
April national ACT test date, an applicant will not be allowed to use a test
score obtained after the April national ACT test date to upgrade a TOPS
Award.
ii. Beginning with awards
made to applicants graduating in academic year (high school) 2011, if an
applicant does not achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the
TOPS Opportunity Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the
applicant's high school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score
for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April
national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation
but prior to July 1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted or, if the
board determines that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to
July 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate
control of the student and attributable to the administration of the test, the
applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized
testing date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the
applicant's high school graduation but prior to October 1 of the year of such
graduation will be accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant
whose qualifying test score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the
April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high school
graduation, the applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be
reduced by one semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an
eligible institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than
semesters or quarters. Except for an applicant who has qualified for a
TOPS-Tech Award on or prior to the April national ACT test date, an applicant
will not be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT
test date to upgrade a TOPS Award.
c. Beginning with awards made to applicants
graduating in academic year (high school) 2020, if an applicant does not
achieve a qualifying score on the ACT or on the SAT for the TOPS Opportunity
Award by the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high
school graduation, then the applicant's first qualifying score for any TOPS
Award obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT test
date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation but prior to August
1 of the year of such graduation will be accepted, or, if the board determines
that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to August 1 of the
year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the
student and attributable to the administration of the test, the applicant's
first qualifying score for any TOPS Award obtained on an authorized testing
date after the April national ACT test date in the year of the applicant's high
school graduation but prior to October 1 of the year of such graduation will be
accepted. However, when granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test
score is obtained on an authorized testing date after the April national ACT
test date in the year of the applicant's high school graduation, the
applicant's period of eligibility for the award shall be reduced by one
semester, two quarters, or an equivalent number of units at an eligible
institution which operates on a schedule based on units other than semesters or
quarters unless the student can demonstrate that he was unable to take the test
on or prior to the April national ACT test date due to circumstances beyond his
control which are attributable to the administration of the test. An applicant
will be allowed to use a test score obtained after the April national ACT test
date to upgrade a TOPS Award.
c.
For the purpose of the Subsection, the April national ACT test date shall be
defined as the month of April.
d.
Tests taken by an eligible non-graduate after the first day of the semester the
student first enrolls in an eligible college or university shall not be
accepted.
2.
a. Beginning with applicants graduating in
academic year (high school) 1997 through 2010, applicants who fail to achieve
an ACT or SAT qualifying score prior to July 1 of the year of high school
graduation shall not be considered for an award.
b. Beginning with applicants graduating in
academic year (high school) 2011 through 2019, applicants shall not be
considered for an award if they fail to achieve a qualifying score on the ACT
or on the SAT prior to July 1 of the year of high school graduation, or prior
to October 1 of the year of high school graduation, if the board determines
that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to July 1 of the
year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the
student and attributable to the administration of the test.
D. For 1997 and 1998 high school graduates who have not previously taken an ACT test, the ACT score shall include those scores obtained from a national ACT test taken not later than the October 1998 national test date.
E. Students who graduated during the 1998-1999 school year who are otherwise qualified for a TOPS Award and who obtained a qualifying score on the ACT test or the scholastic aptitude test on an authorized testing date after the date of the student's graduation but prior to July 1, 1999 shall be considered to have met the requirements of §509.A and B.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:3021-3031, R.S. 17:3042.1 and R.S. 17:5001 et seq.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
