(a) (1) An eligible student may enroll in a postsecondary preparatory program during:

(A) A school year;

(B) The summer months following a school year in which the student is enrolled in any of grades eight through eleven (8-11) in an Arkansas public school; or

(C) Both of the periods described in subdivisions (a)(1)(A) and (B) of this section.

(2) An eligible student shall receive priority for enrollment in a postsecondary preparatory program if the eligible student qualifies for free and reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1751 et seq.

(3) If space and funding are available after all eligible students who applied to attend a postsecondary preparatory program are enrolled, the Department of Education may permit a public school student to enroll in a postsecondary preparatory program if the student:

(A) Scores below college and career readiness benchmarks on a college and career readiness assessment or placement test; and

(B) Either:

(i) Is enrolled in grade twelve (12) in Arkansas; or

(ii) Will enroll in the postsecondary preparatory program within three (3) months of graduating from an Arkansas high school.

(b) An eligible student may enroll in one (1) or more of the curriculum areas in which the eligible student has scored below the college and career readiness benchmark as identified by college and career readiness assessments.

(c) The opportunity to participate in a postsecondary preparatory program under this subchapter shall not be interpreted as mandating the Department of Education to fund postsecondary preparatory programs at a cost in excess of the funds appropriated and funded in the Public School Fund for this purpose.