Missouri's A+ Schools Program
The A+ Schools Program encourages students to stay in school, make career plans, tutor younger students, and graduate with the skills and knowledge required for career success or to pursue advanced education.
The A+ Schools Program is a school-improvement initiative established by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993. The program is raising academic standards, opening new doors to higher education and introducing students to the teaching profession through tutoring and mentoring activities .
The primary goal of A+ Schools is to assure that all students are well prepared to pursue advanced education and employment.
For a complete list of the 402 participating schools, visit the A+ website.
Students who graduate from a designated A+ high school may qualify for a state-paid financial incentive to attend any public community college or career/technical school in Missouri if the students successfully meet the following requirements:
- Enter into a written agreement with Oak Grove High School
- Attend an A+ designated school for at least three consecutive years prior to high school graduation
- Attain at least a 95% cumulative attendance record
- Graduate with a cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Perform and document at least fifty (50) hours of approved, unpaid mentoring or tutoring coordinated through the OGHS A+ Coordinator of which 12.5 hours can include job shadowing
- Maintain a record of positive citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs/alchohol. The signatures on the Letter of Intent give the OG school district permission to examine and evaluate the student's cumulative disciplinary record
- Apply for federal financial assistance by filing a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Note-Parental income is not a criterion for A+ student incentive reimbursement
- Register for Selective Service if applicable
- Score proficient or advanced on the official Algebra I End-of-Course Exam or a 17 on the math portion of the ACT. This requirement may be waived after completing one semester (12 credit hour minimum) of post-secondary education with a 2.5 or better GPA.
The financial incentive is available only after the student has made a good faith effort to first secure all available federal financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that does not require repayment.