Required test could score students in‑state scholarships

Associated Press

ARIZONA – High school students may grumble about taking Arizona’s standardized test, but should they fare well, the test could mean free tuition at an Arizona university.

At least 2,000 students who graduated this year will qualify for a scholarship, according to preliminary estimates from the state.

Those students scored well on Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), which tests reading, writing and math, and is required by the state to get a high school diploma.

The AIMS scholarship was developed to reward high‑achieving students and encourage them to attend in‑state universities. Full‑ride scholarships for students with high grade‑point averages are already in place.

State university officials say there is enough money to cover the AIMS scholarships, mainly because many of those students would have received scholarships anyway.

To be eligible, students must score in the “exceeds standards” categories on the AIMS test, have at least a 3.5 grade‑point average or rank in the top 5 percent of their class. They also cannot score lower than a B in core classes.

The Arizona Department of Education will notify scholarship winners in July, although many high school counselors have already told students who likely will qualify.