Scholarships

This bulletin provides information about the Scholarships for Academic Excellence (SAE) to be awarded in 2019 for the 2018-2019 academic year. Pending the appropriation of State funds during the 2019 session of the New York State Legislature, 8,000 scholarships will be awarded. Of the 8,000, 2,000 scholarships will have a value of $1,500 each and 6,000 scholarships will have a value of $500 each. Winners of this scholarship may concurrently receive any other New York State academic or general award for which he or she may be eligible. However, winners cannot be awarded a Scholarship for Academic Excellence in any amount when the combination of all awards would exceed their cost of attendance. Scholarship winners must attend a college or university (SAEs cannot be used for trade schools) in New York State. Those who do not attend a college or university in New York State forfeit the award. Cost of attendance includes tuition, required fees, laboratory and other institution-related expenses, books, transportation, and room and board.

Awards are renewable for up to four academic years of undergraduate study or five academic years if the program of study normally requires five years as defined by the Commissioner of Education. In an event in which a scholarship is declined by the student or revoked by the Commissioner of Education, its benefits will lapse and no re-awards will be made.

The selection criteria for nominees for the Scholarships for Academic Excellence must be published and made available to students by the high school at the beginning of each school year. For the 2019 competition, the selection criteria must be published and made available to students on or before September 30, 2018.

A high school shall use uniform criteria for the selection of scholarship nominees, applicable to all competing students, such criteria to be in accordance with the requirements of this section. Please note, you may not pass over a higher- ranking student to reach a lower-ranking student because the higher-ranking student plans to decline or may not use the scholarship.

Dear Students and Parents

Rochester Academy Charter School use METHOD A: REGENTS TEST SCORES for the selection of scholarship nominees.

Please read the details of uniform criteria METHOD A below: 

A high school, which, prior to its students’ senior year, has offered to all such students seeking Regents credit at the school either a Regents examination or a single approved alternative assessment (see http://www.p12.nysed.gov/), but not both, in each of the following subjects: comprehensive English, global studies, United States history/government, mathematics B, and in two or more of the following four sciences: earth science, living environment/biology, chemistry, and physics, shall select scholarship nominees on the basis of the following criteria:

The high school shall select their winner(s) by computing a weighted average of the scores on the Regents examinations and/or approved alternative assessments taken by its students prior to their senior year, in all of the following subjects:

The weighing of the scores shall be:

Comprehensive English: weight of three

Algebra 2 & Trigonometry: weight of three

Global Studies: weight of one

U.S. History / Government: weight of one

Science: weight of one for each course*

For Science, at least two, but up to four courses may be included. Individual schools must decide, in the Science area, how many sciences to use in the calculation. They must use the same number of science courses for all students in the competition, though they do not need to use the same courses.

If the approved alternative assessment is not scored on a one hundred- point scale, the high school must convert the scores on the approved alternative assessment to a one hundred-point scale.

If a student elected not to take the Regents examinations listed, or an approved alternative assessment, then that student cannot compete or be selected as a scholarship winner.