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Published Friday, February 10, 2012 in Local
Black Caucus wants to ration HOPE
By WALTER C. JONES
Morris News Service
ATLANTA -- The University of Georgia and Georgia Tech would be limited in how many Zell Miller Scholars they could accept under legislation announced Thursday by the Black Legislative Caucus.
Caucus members said 86 percent of the Miller Scholars -- those whose grades and SAT scores earned them the highest HOPE Scholarship payouts -- currently attend the two schools. Their proposal seeks to ration the scholarships so that each of the state's public colleges and universities have no more than a set amount.
If there are more eligible students than a given school is permitted, a drawing would decide who benefits and who is left out.
The legislative package would also block the HOPE Scholarship from going to any student whose family earned more than $140,000 annually. The majority currently come from families earning more than $200,000, according to Sen. Lester Jackson, author of the bill.
"We as a state of Georgia have been bamboozled into thinking that HOPE is attainable to all students when we know that many Georgia citizens in inner cities, in rural Georgia play into the lottery, but their chances of HOPE are minuscule," said Jackson, D-Savannah.
Students' access to HOPE will also depend on their hometown. The caucus wants to grant scholarships within a region proportionate to the volume of Georgia Lottery tickets purchased in that area.
The caucus' proposal would reduce the number of beneficiaries enough for the scholarship to cover the costs of books again, according to Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta.
"It is our responsibility to work for the children of Georgia's interests," she said.
The General Assembly has pared back the scholarship repeatedly in recent years to try to stretch out the money generated by the Georgia Lottery. Last year, the payout was reduced to roughly 80 percent of tuition for most HOPE scholars, but those with the highest grades termed Zell Miller Scholars still get 100 percent.
James is sponsoring legislation to require regular audits of the scholarship program and reports on the demographic breakdown of both lottery players and scholarship beneficiaries.
Sen. Emanuel Jones, chairman of the caucus, said Gov. Nathan Deal had no problem with requiring audits. However, he wasn't making any promises about the rest of the legislative package.
"He said, 'good luck,'" said Jones, D-Decatur.
Versions of each bill will be introduced simultaneously in the House and Senate.
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based on there income. Again liberals want to punish a family for working hard and getting ahead in life.
So reward people who take welfare money or what little money they earn and play the lottery.
Anyone can go to college if they really want to. I have met to many single parents who worked and paid for college.
Posted by Joe Cool at 10:48 AM
There is nothing wrong with limiting HOPE funds based on income. Why would the State pay for college tuition for those family who can afford it otherwise? Wouldn't the State be more wise to spend that money, if not on the HOPE program, letting more children into affordable preschool or after school tutoring for those who could not otherwise afford it?
The idea about the geographical restriction goes too far, however. Despite the fact that HOPE tends to be a regressive tax (people who can't afford college contribute a lot to scholarships that disproportionately go to kids from families who have the means to pay for college without the scholarship), the merit based nature of the program should stand.
The bigger issue is giving the students of Georgia an equal opportunity to a good education that will set them up to earn a chance at HOPE.
Posted by travis strickland at 12:36 AM
Divide and Conquer! That's the message that the Black caucus preaches. Thanks to the BC for keeping racism alive in America. This is simply and extension of Affirmative Action and it must be stopped right NOW! Rewards, whether it be jobs or scholarships, should be based solely on MERIT! That's what America is all about.
Posted by Anonymous at 7:39 PM
The Black Caucaus. Just another political organization keeping racism alive and well in the US. As soon as they see something benefiting the common good they want to sequester those funds. If rationing HOPE is such a good idea, what happened to the United Negro College fund? That didn't work so now they want to destroy something that does work. Go figure.
Posted by Ralph at 3:19 PM
Let's be real. The goal of the BC is to capture money for their constituency based on being poor and not being able to achieve academically. In truth the BC is not interested in a poor white kid who doesn't achieve. The BC wants equality except when it is the black kid that excels. Otherwise you would see them vocal about the racial imbalance in sports, where the sole criteria is achievement based on past performance. So if we base scholarships in that arena (and a job to begin with in the real world of pro sports) why not do the same in college academics? We compete in a world where the race to the top is run in all other countries by their best. We best get in the race or we will be a third world country dominated by others. And if that happens the BC will not have a platform on freedom to have their opinion said or heard.
Posted by Ed Murray at 11:55 AM
I thought the idea of HOPE was to provide a collage education to those all of those who had a B+ in high school and collage. In the spirit of affording those who wouldn't have other wise had the chance to attend. I understand that they have changed the requirements. I think that the community as a whole would be served better to allow the children from lower income homes have more of the help because the effect is felt more strongly in those communities where there seems to be an education vacuum. You might as well focus your concentration on the segment of the population that you won't have to fight to retain. This would strengthen the middle class and give it a more stable footing.
Posted by mother of five at 1:55 AM
US medical schools, for a time, assigned admission on racial and socioeconomic factors. It failed miserably. Many students simply couldn't do the work and failed. One of the purposes of HOPE is to keep high achievers in the state. Georgia has a top tier brain drain without it. The competition in state schools is much better now and Georgia will benefit as a result by retaining more of its potentially productive young people. Hope they don't cave in to the dumb it down crowd.
Posted by Matt at 9:19 PM
If we're not going to fully fund the program then we do need to find ways to distribute it fairly. Black or white, a higher percentage should probably go to those that actually need it over those that do not. I don't think anyone is saying to give it to people who haven't earned it. But when 2 people "earned" it and there isn't enough to pay both, we need to find a way to distribute the funds. It's pretty funny that people around here who are constantly waiving the TEA party flag are actually bothered by this. Something gets cut when you don't pay 100% of your bills. Ironically, Blackburn was the only Republican who was actually standing up for this program, but you voted for that crazy guy instead.
Posted by AP at 7:31 PM
Just grade them on a curve.
Lets not reward hard work!
Posted by educated at 5:31 PM
As someone who received HOPE in its fledgling years (3.85 GPA, mom of 3, full-time job), I think HOPE should be given to one that earns it, regardless. What EVERYONE, including Deal, is failing to realize is that most people have not earned it. They are passing children right and left so the federal money will keep flowing into the coiffers, not making intelligent children. Parents and lawmakers are failing children-my parents didn't fail me. I chose a path and had to go to school later, on my dime, for 3 semesters to earn that HOPE scholarship with my GPA.
Posted by Holly at 2:20 PM
I'm not a parent and I didn't grow up in GA to get the Hope Scholarship but this article made me furious. Scholarships should be for those who earn them, not handed out based on an address or neighborhood. If someone wants the money, put in the hard work.
Posted by Florida grad at 2:01 PM
I think that they should give the money in graduated steps with those who need help more getting more assistance and in situations where there is less need less assistance. That should not affect the top one and two of all the graduating classes, or the high SAT score earner. It is very shocking to see that a majority of the students come from such affluent back grounds. If your at the 140,000 income level why hasn't paying for collage not been a higher priority? I suppose having tutors and paid for services do really go a long way. Which is great if you have the spare cash. What is the average American's savings rate? 5-10%? Even at twenty it seems like it would be hard to save for retirement and collage for even one child. I think that is idea is a good one that needs to be tweaked.
Posted by mother of five at 1:46 PM
Once again, this is more PROOF that we are still in a recession! People who think we are almost done or getting out of the recession are blind.
Posted by Nunya at 1:42 PM
Here we go again. Blacks want HOPE to be one of their entitlements and not merit based. Anyone teaching in a black school knows that they are awash with scholarships. Think not? Check out Coca-Cola's scholarship program. How many whites receive one?
Posted by Leonard at 12:38 PM
If the urbanians and ruraliliens desire money for college then save it form not playing the lotto. Fifty years of AA and AA still can't cut the "mustard".
Posted by Bonnie Blue at 12:29 PM
You've got to be kidding!
Posted by GT Mom at 11:11 AM
My kids getting Hope as a result of the number of lottery tickets bought in the inner city is just my payback for the living I have been providing the buyers of those tickets with a livelihood since I turned 16 and started working. They don't do anything else to earn their keep, so why not let them wasting their welfare checks on 500 cash three tickets go towards educating the next generation of people who will be supporting THEIR next generation?
Posted by Psh! at 10:58 AM
The folks behind this article are seriously confused. HOPE scholarships are earned, they are not an entitlement to be distributed by fiat.
If more communities have these scholarships awarded than others, it's because they support education more than others.
Playing the lottery more than other communities doesn't mean that you get that money back as scholarships. That's just stupid.
The simple fact of the matter is that the current system is completely merit based.
Communities that spend more on education (not lottery tickets) will have a higher percentage of winners, but everyone can be 'smart', it just takes work.
Posted by Spencer60 at 10:31 AM
Here we go again. A few trying to change rules so that many will lose a chance that they worked hard to acheive. We all need to remember that entitlements can not be depended upon throughout our entire life.
Posted by Dave at 9:43 AM
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Bull-larkey
2/16/2012
Link To This Comment
UGA and GT get the most Scholarship money out of HOPE because they're the 2 best schools in the state. Of course kids who bust their tail in High School to get good grades want to go to the best colleges available. UGA and GT are also the biggest schools in the state, so again there is no surprise that 86% of Miller Scholars go there. I also think that Sen. Jackson's figures are likely way off. But, it's an election year, so politicians have to play politics...
Posted by Mr. Coweta at 7:11 PM