MACRAO: Re: Residency question

Hello,

Just chiming in from the Commissioner’s Office. If you have any residency questions, please do not hesitate to call OCHE’s legal department, Viv Hammill (449-9166) and Helen Thigpen (449-9167).

High school equivalency does not qualify a student for in-state status under the H.1(c) language and is not the same as completing the last year of high school and graduating. They would need to prove residency through one of the other methods listed in policy 940.1.

Every HiSET or GED earner that requests a transcript in Montana receives the “Issued by Montana OPI” seal as OPI is the entity that issues HiSET transcripts in the state. It does not indicate that the student completed a Montana ABE program or a HiSET option through a Montana high school.

Sincerely,

Erik Rose

Director of Workforce Initiatives and Information

Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education

560 North Park Avenue

Helena, MT 59620-3201

Office: (406)449-9133

Cell: (406)210-5463

From: MACRAO Listserv <MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU> On Behalf Of Dellwo, Sarah
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 8:21 AM
To: MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU
Subject: Re: Residency question

We do not automatically treat them like a high school student. That was the advice we received from OCHE years ago. I would say that most of them receive are from Montana and have their residency through all their other information. I have had a few that just moved here and did HiSet right after that. In those cases, their parents have not been residents and they typically moved here by themselves. If people are accepting the HiSet the same as graduation I would be curious to know as well.

Sarah Dellwo, Director of Admissions and Records

1115 N orth Roberts

Helena, MT 59601

(p) 406-447-6908 (f) 406-447-6397

www.helenacollege.edu

From: MACRAO Listserv [mailto:MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Hopkins, Violet
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2018 5:06 PM
To: MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU
Subject: Residency question

Hello,

How do other treat GEDs and HiSETs with the “issued by Montana OPI” seal? If they’re a traditional Freshman, do you treat it like they graduated from a MT high school? Do you have them complete a residency questionnaire for all their parent’s information?

BOR 940.1

H. 1. (c) Any graduate of a Montana high school accredited by the board of public education who is a citizen of the United States or a resident alien who registers at a unit no later than the fourth fall term following the student's high school graduation shall be eligible under this section for in-state status for either (1) six years from the date of initial registration or until the achievement of a baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first, or (2) as long as the individual remains continuously enrolled at a MUS system campus (excluding summers); provided either of the following conditions existed at the time the student graduated from high school: (i) The student attended the Montana high school for the student's entire senior year; or (ii) The student had a parent who was employed and resided in Yellowstone National Park;

Violet Hopkins

Undergraduate Admissions I University of Montana & Missoula College

32 Campus Drive I Lommasson Center Room 101 I Missoula MT 59812

Voice: 406-243-4771 I Fax: 406-243-5711 I www.umt.edu/admissions