Welcome To REAP

Tonight’s Meeting  Background of the REAP Scholarship Program  How the Scholarship Program Works  How Your Child Can Earn a 3.5 or 4.0 in English Language Arts and Math  Requirements to Continue in the Program in Each Grade Level  Learning the Basics of Financial Aid  Questions

History of the REAP Program  Started by a local farming family who want to support the working families in the agricultural industry  Partnership with Lindsay Unified began with the Class of 2013  The Scholarship Program is designed to support your children in achieving a bachelor’s degree

Goals of The REAP Foundation  Create a college-going culture in communities with few university-graduate role models by incentivizing students to achieve academically and make plans for their futures  Familiarize students and their families with the pathways to college and help them to be attentive to the college track throughout the middle and high school years  Help students locate and secure grants and scholarships in addition to REAP funds and help students and their families make a financial plan for college  Push students to set high standards and encourage them to develop and practice their leadership skills

Participant Requirements  At least one parent immigrated to the United States  Neither parent can have a bachelor’s degree from an educational institution in the United States  Family income must be less than $80,000

How the Scholarship Program Works  Participants earn scholarship funding based on their grades  During high school, participants can also earn bonuses based on their CAHSEE scores  Scholarship funding accumulates and is held for participants while they are in grades 7-12

How the Scholarship Program Works  Participants MUST earn a minimum amount by the time they graduate in order to RECEIVE the scholarship when they graduate from Lindsay High School Minimum for Classes of 2019 and 2020 = $3,  If the participant earns at least the minimum amount by graduation, then the amount earned will be disbursed over a four-year period while in college.

Earning in 7 th and 8 th Grades  A grade of 3.5 or 4.0 in English Language Arts earns $ (all learning targets must be completed in one school year)  A grade of 3.5 or 4.0 in Math earns $ (all learning targets must be completed in one school year)  Any participant who earns a 3.5 or 4.0 in both English Language Arts and Math in one school year will earn a $ bonus for that school year

How Your Child Earns a 3.5 or 4.0 English Language Arts/Mathematics ScoreWhat the Student Knows 4 The learner knows all the simple knowledge and skills, all of the complex knowledge and skills, and goes beyond what was taught in class to apply the knowledge. 3.5 The learner knows all the simple knowledge and skills, all of the complex knowledge and skills, and in-depth inferences and applications with partial success. 3 The learner knows all the simple knowledge and skills, and all of the complex knowledge and skills. 2.5 The learner knows all the simple knowledge and skills, and some of the complex knowledge and skills. 2 The learner knows all of the simple knowledge and skills. 1.5 The learner knows some of the simple knowledge and skills, and some of the complex knowledge and skills. 1 With help, the learner knows some of the simple knowledge and skills. 0 Even with help, the learner does not know any of the simple or complex knowledge and skills.

How Your Child Earns a 3.5 or 4.0 English Language Arts/Mathematics  Learners have an assignment and have an opportunity to demonstrate the level of knowledge based on the scoring scale  Each class has different opportunities  If a learner does not know how to score a 3.5 or 4.0, they need to take ownership of their learning and ask the LF.  Offer ideas for obtaining a 3.5 or 4.0 to their LF's, based on their interests

Requirements to Continue in the Program

Financial Aid Basics  The REAP Scholarship is just one way your child can get help to pay for college. There is a lot of help out there!  When your child is a senior in high school, he/she will apply for financial aid to help with the costs of college.  You and your child will complete a form called the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to apply for this help. This form is completed each year your child attends college.

Financial Aid Basics  Once the FAFSA is complete, colleges will calculate what is called an EFC (Expected Family Contribution).  The EFC is the amount of money a student and his/her family is expected to provide towards the cost of college for that school year.  For most families with a low income, the EFC is a very low amount and often is $0.

Financial Aid Basics  Once colleges have the information from the FAFSA and they know your EFC, they will put together a financial aid package that usually consists of:  Grants  Loans (Student and Parent)  Scholarships  And possibly Work-Study

Financial Aid Basics  Grants  Money that is provided by the government to help pay for college  It does not usually have to be paid back  Some grants come from the state of California and some come from the federal government

Financial Aid Basics  Loans  Student Loans—your child may be offered the opportunity to take out low-interest loans to help pay for college  Parent Loans—your child’s financial aid package may also include the opportunity for parents to take out low-interest loans to help pay for college  It’s important to know that loans can be an important way to help pay for college, but students do NOT have to accept loans as part of their financial aid packages.

Financial Aid Basics  Scholarships  Colleges often have scholarships that they can award as part of a financial aid package  Many of these scholarships are awarded to students who have good grades  There are also MANY scholarships that students may apply for separately to help pay for college.  Part of the requirements of the REAP program is that students are actively looking for scholarships above and beyond the REAP scholarship to help pay for college.

Financial Aid Basics  Work-Study  Many colleges include work-study as part of a financial aid package  Work-study allows students to get a job that is usually on-campus so that they can EARN money to help pay for college

Financial Aid Basics  California DREAM Act  Some students may have a residency status that allows them to apply for financial aid through the California DREAM Act.  By applying for financial aid this way, these students are eligible for most of the financial aid that we discussed tonight.

Questions?