Saving HOPE

Since its creation in 1993, Georgia’s HOPE program has provided $5 billion worth of benefits to over 1.2 million students.

The idea behind the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) program was that deserving students should have the opportunity to continue their education. The program also has the added benefit of keeping Georgia’s best and brightest students in the state which is critical for our future economic success.

The problem now, as with so many other government programs, is that HOPE is facing serious financial difficulties.

In his inaugural address last week, Gov. Nathan Deal vowed to save HOPE. In his State of the State address which followed two days later, Deal said if current spending patterns continue, the program will be unable to meet its obligations by 2013.

“If we are to save HOPE we must make programmatic changes during this legislative session,” Deal said. “I am ready and your leadership has indicated they are ready to make those changes. My 2012 budget does not authorize HOPE expenditures beyond what the lottery produces; therefore, we must act now to maintain the Georgia jewel known as HOPE.”

The question is how can this “Georgia jewel” be saved?

To be eligible for HOPE, high school students must have at least a 3.0 average in core curriculum classes. In the 2008-2009 school year – the most recent year for which data is currently available – 38 percent of Georgia high school graduates were HOPE eligible.

Are 38 percent of Georgia’s students truly “outstanding” or are we jeopardizing HOPE to provide billions of dollars in benefits for students who are not truly prepared for the rigors of college?

Over 23 percent of Georgia high school graduates required some form of remedial instruction upon entering the University System of Georgia in 2008. That number alone would seem to indicate that HOPE resources may be poorly allocated.

According to the most recent report from the University System of Georgia, almost half of HOPE scholars lose their scholarships at the 30-hour checkpoint. Six years later (yes, SIX), only 54 percent of these students will graduate from college.

Instead of slashing benefits and instituting means based criteria for HOPE, perhaps the focus should be on giving the scholarships to those students who have a better chance of collegiate success.

The state has already worked to cut the cost of the HOPE program by cutting fees payments and book allowances. The current book allowance is so ridiculously low that it is doubtful many students could even pay for one new textbook much less all the books needed for any given semester. No HOPE funds are provided for room and board – an expense that easily exceeds tuition costs at most institutions.

Instead of tacitly encouraging our best and brightest to seek better scholarship opportunities out of state, the resources of HOPE should be redirected to keeping the truly outstanding students home. The benefits should be improved, not cut, and they should be given to the most outstanding of pupils. These students are tomorrow’s innovators, business owners and political leaders. We need a program that recognizes that fact and works first to help those who will in turn help Georgia most.

Kristi Reed 2011. All Rights Reserved.