TOPS BILLS - Louisiana's popular college tuition program: the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students costs the state nearly $300 million a year. The program's funding has been uncertain in the face of continued budget shortfalls. So Louisiana Lawmakers have been proposing bills to adjust eligibility requirements for the TOPS scholarships. Speaking before the House Education Committee Thursday. Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Central, sponsor of House Bill 413, said his plan would assist students to perform better academically by requiring they attend a 2 year college or technical school first before advancing to a 4 year university. Ivey explained "...and so by allowing them to start at a smaller, technical community college, I believe they can
get better prepared for the four year universities. Because I know, at LSU as an example, it can be pretty brutal."
Right now, in order to keep the scholarship, Students have to maintain a 2.3 GPA their first year in college, and a 2.5 beyond. Under the new bill that would increase to a 2.5 and a 2.75.
If students couldn't achieve the new GPA, House Bill 161, by Rep. Raymond Garofalo (R-Chalmatte) would require
they reimburse the state. “It's not just like a gift. These are taxpayer dollars that people have worked hard for," he told members of the committee.
But because TOPS doesn't cover the full cost of college, Rep. Julie Emerson (R-Carencro) says this bill could place an added burden on students who drop out for financial reasons. "It would be hard if a
student gets into a program their first year and realizes just the financial hardship that they can't meet and has to drop out and then we give them more of a financial hardship," she explained.
Exceptions to the payback requirement include students who leave because of a physical rehabilitation program, temporary disability, and "exceptional circumstances," among others. An average of about 5,200 students per year – 12 percent – have their TOPS awards cancelled, according to the Legislative Fiscal Office. These cancellations could generate more
than $7 million for the state in 2020. But Rep. Garofalo says that's not his motivation. "My goal is more to provide the incentive to stay in school, do well and graduate than it is to recoup the money," he said.
The bills passed committee and face action in the full House, where they are sure to spark controversy. If passed by lawmakers ..The new rules for earning TOPS would apply to students starting high school this fall.
