FAQs for HB-8
What is FAST?
The FAST program provides funding to participating public institutions of higher education, as defined under Texas Education Code (TEC) 61.003(8) so they can offer dual credit courses to educationally disadvantaged students at no cost to these students. See article for more information…. https://www.highered.texas.gov/our work/supporting our institutions/community college finance/fast/
Who qualifies for FAST?
A student qualifies for the FAST – Federal Aid Swift Transfer –
- Enrolled in Dual Credit classes while attending public or charter school high school.
- Students who qualified for “Economically Disadvantaged” in his/her high school preceding the four years prior to the DC class(es) in a public or charter school.
Students who have qualified for the “free or reduced” lunch program at their enrolled high school preceding the four years prior to dual credit classes. This list is based on the public-school list sent to TEA and is not generated by NTCC.
How many credit hours does FAST cover?
Fast covers the number of hours a student chooses to take in a term. NTCC encourages all students to only take 18 hours per sixteen-week term. If a student wants to take more than 18 hours, he or she will need to notify their advisor.
If I am homeschooled, do I qualify for FAST?
No. FAST is only for students enrolled in public or charter schools.
How will I know if I qualify for FAST?
Students will need to contact their local school to determine if they qualify.
How will NTCC know if I qualify for FAST?
Local high schools will make the determination if you qualify for the FAST scholarship. Next, TEA will collect the list from the high school and send it to The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Last, NTCC will receive the list and make account adjustments as needed.
Will the FAST scholarship cover summer classes?
Yes, the FAST program covers any student who qualifies for the program.
What if I don’t qualify for FAST?
If a student doesn’t qualify for the FAST program, they will be charged $55 per credit hour. They will also pay for books, materials, and fees.
If I do qualify, will FAST cover book/materials?
Yes, the FAST scholarship will pay for books, materials, and fees.
If I don’t qualify for FAST, do I need to buy my own book/materials?
Yes, students who do not qualify for FAST will be responsible for paying for books, materials, and fees.
Why do I see a charge on my account if I qualify for the FAST scholarship?
At the beginning of each term, NTCC will distribute fees to all accounts. Once the FAST Scholarship list is received from The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, NTCC will adjust charges.
When is payment due for dual credit students who do not qualify for the FAST Scholarship?
Payment is due October 1st for the Fall 23 term for those who do not qualify for FAST.
Would FAST funding be paid to a college for an eligible student to re-take a dual credit course that they previously took or failed?
The statute creating the FAST program and the emergency rules for the FAST program do not limit FAST funding based on a student having previously failed a course.
Can FAST funding be used to pay for a student to re-take a dual credit course that they previously failed where the college had waived tuition the first time the student took the class?
The statute creating the FAST program and the emergency rules for the FAST program do not limit FAST funding based on a student having previously failed a course.
Does an institution have to verify if the student is “educationally disadvantaged” every year?
Yes. Since the educationally disadvantaged indicator is based on a four-year lookback, an institution will need to verify a student’s status as educationally disadvantaged every year but will not have to verify this each semester.
Is a student subject to the FAST tuition rate while taking summer college courses?
Only a student taking a course offered through an institutional agreement, as outlined in Texas Administrative Code, Section 4.84, from an institution of higher education that has opted to participate in FAST, is considered to be enrolled in a dual credit course that is subject to the maximum FAST tuition rate.
If an ISD is eligible to offer free and reduced lunch for all students based on their status of serving a preponderance of low-income students, will all students in the district be automatically eligible for FAST (assuming all other criteria is met)?
Maybe. If a student participated in the National School Lunch Program and was coded as participating by any Texas public school or open-enrollment charter using Economic-Disadvantage-Code (table C054) ‘01,’ ‘02,’ or ‘99’ in any of the four school years prior to the academic year in which the student is enrolled in the dual credit course, then the student is eligible for FAST, if all other requirements are met. The institution may receive students’ eligibility statuses from the THECB if they submit a roster of students registered for current dual credit courses using their TEA-issued Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Unique ID.
During the COVID pandemic, all students were provided free and reduced priced lunch, regardless of individual applications. Will students in this situation be automatically eligible for FAST (assuming all other criteria is met)?
Maybe. If a student participated in the National School Lunch Program and was coded as participating by any Texas public school or open-enrollment charter using Economic-Disadvantage-Code (table C054) ‘01,’ ‘02,’ or ‘99’ in any of the four school years prior to the academic year in which the student is enrolled in the dual credit course, then the student is eligible for FAST, if all other requirements are met. The institution may receive students’ eligibility statuses from the THECB if they submit a roster of students registered for current dual credit courses using their TEA-issued Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Unique ID.
