Program Requirements

A part of the A+ Schools program is that a student who qualifies according to the following criteria and continues his/her education at a Missouri public community college or public vocational-technical school may be eligible for state-reimbursed tuition. These costs may be reimbursable only after secured federal financial assistance funds that do not require repayment have been applied. The incentive, offered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, may be available for up to six semesters of attendance during the 4 years following high school graduation.

Requirement 1: Enter into a written agreement with TBHS to participate in the A+ Schools Program.

Students may enter into the agreement at any point during their high school career prior to graduation. Because students are required to accumulate 50 hours of unpaid tutoring/mentoring, Students must sign the agreement by October of their senior year in order to allow adequate time to complete the required hours. 

Requirement 2: Attend a designated A+ high school for 2 years prior to graduation.

If one of the student’s parents is a member of the military on active duty or has retired from the military and relocated to Missouri within one year of their retirement, the student is exempt from this requirement. However, they must attend an A+ designated high school in the school year immediately preceding graduation and meet all other A+ eligibility requirements.

Requirement 3: Graduate from an A+ designated high school with an overall unweighted grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. 

The student’s cumulative GPA is calculated from freshman through senior year. 

Requirement 4: Maintain a 95% or higher cumulative attendance rate by graduation. 

The attendance requirement is based on the student’s cumulative attendance from freshman through senior year. Students whose cumulative attendance falls below 95% at graduation will not meet the A+ attendance requirement.

Requirement 5: Complete 50 hours of unpaid tutoring/mentoring supervised by a school district employee. 

Students must complete 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and/or mentoring during their junior and senior years. Students may complete these hours by enrolling in the A+ class and participating in approved tutoring/mentoring opportunities.

A teacher, principal, counselor, or A+ Coordinator must supervise and verify tutoring/mentoring activities. The A+ Coordinator will maintain records of the hours each student completes. Only hours verified with a signed timesheet by the supervising school district employee will count toward the 50-hour requirement.

Approved opportunities include:

• Summer School: Tutor or mentor students during summer school.
• Job Shadowing: Shadow an employee in a career of interest — up to 12.5 hours may count.
• Youth Sports Camps: Assist with approved youth sports camps through Troy R-III School District — up to 12.5 hours may count.
• Child Development 2 / Trojan Tots: Help, mentor, and interact with younger children.
• CAPS & SAAM: Participate in approved activities.
• DARE Camp: Assist with and mentor students participating in DARE.
  • These hours need to be logged on the Alternative Placement form and returned to the A+ office. #112

Requirement 6: Demonstrate good citizenship & avoid the unlawful use of drugs, alcohol & acts of violence.

Students who violate the Troy Buchanan High School discipline code and are assigned disciplinary action should be aware that these actions may jeopardize their A+ eligibility. Please review the A+ Citizenship Guidelines, found on our website for additional information regarding disciplinary actions and the A+ citizenship requirement.  

Requirement 7: Make a documented, good-faith effort to secure all available federal student aid that does not require repayment. 

Students and parents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online once it becomes available in October of the student’s senior year. 

Applicants must ensure their official FAFSA summary report is sent directly to their chosen community college or public vocational-technical school. State A+ funding will only be applied toward eligible tuition and fees after all available non-repayable federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants, has been applied to the student’s account.

Requirement 8: Meet the A+ Mathematics requirement.

Students must achieve a Proficient or Advanced score on one of the following end-of-course exams (EOC): Algebra 1, Algebra 2, or Geometry. 

Students may also establish eligibility by achieving a qualifying Pre-ACT or ACT math subscore combined with their high school GPA in accordance with the following scale:

• PreACT or ACT Math score of 17 or greater with a high school GPA of 2.5 or greater
• PreACT or ACT Math score of 16 or greater with a high school GPA of 2.8 or greater
• PreACT or ACT Math score of 15 or greater with a high school GPA of 3.0 or greater