In general, the answer is yes. However, there are a few requirements that must be met before the student is eligible to receive a hope scholarship or tuition equalization grant.

First, and most important, being a child of a military parent stationed in Georgia does not remove the requirement that the student must graduate from a Georgia high school to be eligible for an award during the Freshman year at a qualified Georgia public or private institution.  If the student did not graduate from a Georgia high school, the student will need to establish and fulfill the residency requirements after the Freshman year in order to then be considered for a hope scholarship or equalization grant.

Second, the student must fulfill the academic requirements with a minimum 3.0 GPA on qualified classes and, for Zell Miller Scholarship, the ACT and/or SAT scores are also important as well as class rank.

Finally, all other requirements for the hope scholarship must also be met to obtain the scholarship as an entering Freshman at a qualified institution.

Once a student is enrolled in college, the checkpoint hours are used to determine eligibility during the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years in college. After the freshman year, the student will need to continue to show Georgia residency status either with a parent in full time military service stationed in Georgia or by meeting the normal residency requirement of establishing Georgia residency for 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the quarter or semester for which the hope scholarship is awarded.

As you can see, children of military parents stationed in Georgia are indeed eligible for the Hope Scholarship as long as you keep your GPA (Grade Point Average) above 3.0, graduate from an eligible GA. highs school, maintain or establish Georgia residency, attend a qualified institution, and meet the other requirements.

The post Are Children of Military Parents Eligible for the Hope Scholarship? appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

You can regain the hope scholarship: f you are a sophomore seeking a bachelor or associate degree, you are eligible if:

A) You meet the residency requirements for the state of Georgia
B) Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of attempted course work.
C) Maintain satisfactory academic progress in the course of study

You can regain the hope scholarship: If you are a junior seeking a bachelor or associate degree, you are eligible if:

A) You meet the residency requirements for the state of Georgia
B) Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of attempted course work.
C) Maintain satisfactory academic progress in the course of study

You can regain the hope scholarship: If you are a senior seeking a bachelor or associate degree, you are eligible if:

A) You meet the residency requirements for the state of Georgia
B) Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of 90 semester or 135 quarter hours of attempted course work.
C) Maintain satisfactory academic progress in the course of study.

Note, if the cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 at the end of the spring quarter/semester or at the end of three consecutive
quarters for a part time student, then the student is no longer eligible for the Hope Scholarship. The student will have to
attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the 30, 60, or 90 semester hour or the 45, 90, or 135 quarter hour checkpoints to regain the scholarship.

Once a student attempts a total 127 semester or 190 quarter hours they are no longer eligible unless the degree program
requires more hours to complete. In this case, the number of hours is extended to a maximum of 225 quarter hours or 150 semester hours as long as the cumulative GPA was at least 3.0 at 190 quarter/ 127 semester checkpoint.

The post Can I regain the Hope Scholarship if I lost it? appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

According to the legislation, to be eligible for a Hope Scholarship, a new freshman student seeking an associate
or bachelor’s degree shall:

1) Meet residency requirements for the State of Georgia (for the Georgia Hope Scholarship)
2) Meet achievement standards.  These are merit based GPA and/or standardized test scores.
3) Meet enrollment standards.  These are set by the institution which the student will attend.

Item #1, “meet residency requirements” provides that the student must be a legal resident of Georgia and defines what this means.

Item #2, “meet achievement standards” provides that the student must meet minimum GPA requirements and defines the methods used to calculate the valid GPA score for the standard.

Item #3, “meet enrollment standards” provides the required standards for being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate student in a matriculated status and defines what this means.

These are, in total, the top level eligibility requirements to receive a hope scholarship. You will note that none of these
requirements mention financial standing of the family, income limits, other scholarships/grants/aid received, or any other indicators relating to income or finances. In fact, unless the institution that you are attending requires it, you do not have to complete a FASFA application because it is not based on financial standing.  Please make sure you check with the admission and aid requirements for your college or university so that you are following the application procedures correctly.

So, for the question “Is there a family income cap to receive the hope scholarship?”, both the short and the long answer is, No.  Since this is a merit based scholarship, the student must maintain a commitment to scholarship throughout his or her high school career starting with the Freshman year and throughout all of high school.

The post Is there an income cap to receive the hope scholarship? appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

Here is the petition email that was sent…
__________________________________________________________________

Can you believe Gov. Deal has once again refused to save
Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship?

We all know the HOPE Scholarship is in crisis. In just two years, the
HOPE Scholarship will pay less than 50 percent of tuition. We know
families are struggling to keep up with the growing costs of college.
And we know Gov. Deal has repeatedly promised to do nothing.

That’s why on Saturday, with nearly 100,000 people — including
Gov. Deal — gathered in Athens for the Georgia Bulldog’s home
opener, Better Georgia was determined to start a conversation.

And we did.

Better Georgia hired a plane to fly the message, “GOV DEAL BROKE
HOPE. TXT FIXIT to 30644″ over UGA’s Sanford Stadium
before the game. Those who responded were directed to a petition that
now has more than 8,300 signatures.

WATCH: Atlanta’s 11Alive covered the story, and you can watch
the video here:

http://bettergeorgia.pnstate.org/site/R?i=gbH0qq-EkbXGktlHGp5PKQ

From the stadium, Gov. Deal’s spokesperson called us names and
claimed the governor had done the best he could do.

Here’s Gov. Deal’s response to Better Georgia:

“This is paid for by a leftist organization that believes there’s no
end to other people’s money. The Legislature saved HOPE from
bankruptcy. The state uses the money available to aid students who
worked the hardest and earned it.”

While Gov. Deal continues to make excuses and play politics by
dividing the HOPE Scholarship into a “left vs. right” argument, most
voters simply want to save the HOPE Scholarship. In three statewide
surveys in nine months, Better Georgia has heard voters say they want
to save the scholarship and even support a single solution.

Compare Gov. Deal’s response to the students who want him to get
to work to save the HOPE Scholarship.

Here’s just some of what students have said:

* “I lost about 20 percent of what I was getting my first
year of college. I’m working two jobs now to keep up, but
it’s tough.” (Tom ‘Doc’ Bell)
* “I thought I was getting a full ride for my whole college
career, and suddenly the rug is pulled out from underneath me,
and I just don’t know what to do.” (UGA student
interviewed by 11Alive)
* “Thankfully, I don’t have younger brothers, but for
all the people I know who are younger than me, I feel bad.
Parents are going to have to put more and more to this to make
sure they get the education they need. (UGA student interviewed
by 11Alive)
* “I am a sophomore in high school right now, and in a few
years I plan to go to an in-state school. I am really relying on
the HOPE to be able to help me.” (Joseph Walker, Decatur)
* “Not sure why one of the first things our government tries
to cut back is in the education department. It is
disgusting.” (Cassandra Dunigan, Gainesville)
* “Please stop gambling with the lottery money. Our
kids’ future depends on it.” (Fran Latner,
Thomasville)

Without the HOPE Scholarship, many students won’t make it to college.
And Georgia’s economy will be worse for that loss.

There’s no question that we have the Governor’s attention.
But now we need your help to tell Gov. Deal it’s past time for
him to roll up his sleeves and work to save the HOPE Scholarship.

Our goal is to gather at least 10,000 signatures on this online
petition and deliver those signatures, along with your comments to
Gov. Deal. By signing the petition, and asking others to do the same,
you’re joining us in saying that hard-working students in every
Georgia county are our priority, even if Gov. Deal thinks otherwise.
http://bettergeorgia.pnstate.org/site/R?i=JGcxvViu51GIrnPHTwhkwg

Take a moment and join us. Sign the petition:

http://bettergeorgia.pnstate.org/site/R?i=ZQi2nnE7SYN8ovnQ9uJWAA

And then share the petition with your friends via email, on Facebook
and on Twitter. Time is of the essence. By acting today, you can help
save HOPE for future generations.

Sincerely,
Bryan Long
Executive Director
Better Georgia

The post Petition to Save the Hope Scholarship appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

What are the Hope Scholarship Award amounts?

Check the link for hope scholarship award amounts.

What is the difference between the HOPE Grant and the HOPE Scholarship?

HOPE Grant – the HOPE Grant is designed for students pursuing a certificate or diploma in non-degree programs at public institutions.  HOPE Scholarship – students who have demonstrated academic achievement and are enrolled in degree programs at public, private or technical colleges may qualify for the HOPE Scholarship.

Do I have to be a Georgia resident in order to receive the HOPE Scholarship?

Yes, a student must be a Georgia resident for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which the student is applying for the HOPE Scholarship.  A dependent student’s residency status is based on their Parents’ residency status. Once a student is deemed to meet the Georgia residency requirements for purposes of HOPE Scholarship eligibility and begins receiving HOPE Scholarship payments, the student will continue to meet the Georgia residency requirements for purposes of HOPE Scholarship eligibility unless there’s a break in enrollment. Students that have a  break in enrollment of one or more consecutive semesters who establish residency in another state must re-establish Georgia residency for 12 consecutive months before regaining eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship.

Do I have to be a U.S citizen to receive the HOPE Scholarship?

A student must be a U. S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school term for which the HOPE Scholarship is sought. “Eligible non-citizen” means a person who, in accordance with the Federal Title IV Regulations, is:

• A United Statespermanent resident with a Permanent Resident Alien Card (I-551); or
• A conditional permanent resident (I-551C); or
• The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing
• any one of the following designations:
• Refugee,
• Asylum Granted,
• Parolee; or
• Cuban-Haitian Entrant.
• Victims of human trafficking, in accordance with the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection
• Act, may also be considered eligible non-citizens.
• Persons with an F1 or F2 visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa are not eligible non citizens.

Are there any other requirements for the HOPE Scholarship?

Yes. In addition to the residency and citizenship requirements, students must also meet the following:

• Register with Selective Service (men only).
• Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Post secondary Education Act of 1990.
• Not be in default or owe a refund on a federal or state financial aid program.
• Not have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

One thing that is not required for the Hope is a background check sample; however some scholarships may require a background check as part of the application process.

Do I have to complete the FAFSA in order to receive the HOPE Scholarship?

No, completing the FAFSA is not a requirement for the Hope Scholarship because the scholarship is merit based and not financial based.  Update:  This has recently changed see the new FASFA requirements for hope.

How much is the HOPE Scholarship?

The scholarship is based on the tuition rate at the college which the student is attending.  See the Hope Scholarship Tuition rates here.

Do I have to be a full time student enrolled in 12 hours or more, in order to receive the HOPE Scholarship?

No.  Students attending a private college or university must be enrolled for at least 6 semester hours per term.

When is the HOPE Scholarship paid?

In most cases the Hope Scholarship awards are disbursed within a few weeks of the semester start dates once enrollment is verified.  Hope Scholarship award amounts will typically show up as a credit on the students tuition bill.

How do I apply for the HOPE Scholarship?

Follow the procedures for Hope Scholarship application.

When should I apply for the HOPE Scholarship?

First time applicants:  If you were not determined to be a HOPE Scholar upon high school graduation, you may apply for the HOPE Scholarship after attempting 30 semesters hours of college coursework and maintaining a 3.00 GPA.

Is there a time limit to when I can receive the HOPE Scholarship?

Yes, Effective with the FALL 2011 semester,  GSFC has added a timeframe to apply for the HOPE Scholarship. A student who has received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until June 30, 2015, as long as the student continues to meet all other eligibility requirements. A student who has not received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until seven years after his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma. The seven year period ends on June 30th of the seventh full year following the student’s high school graduation date.

I already have a bachelor’s degree.  Can I receive the HOPE Scholarship?

Unfortunately, you are not eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.  The HOPE Scholarship is only for undergraduate students who have not earned a prior bachelor’s degree.  Once you have earned a bachelor’s degree, you are not eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.  However, you may be eligible for the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG).

What if I have more than 30 attempted hours before I applied for the HOPE Scholarship?

If you have attempted more than 30 semester hours of college coursework, you must also have at least a 3.00 HOPE GPA at the end of the semester in which you attempted your 60th and/or 90th semester hours to be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship. Reminder: HOPE eligibility evaluates all credit hours attempted at the college level.

Is there a deadline for the HOPE Scholarship application?

The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) allows the institution to set application deadlines for state grants and scholarships.  Contact the college or university that you plan to attend for specific dates.

How long does it take to get a determination of my HOPE Application?

This is also dependent of the university or college.  Contact the college or university that you plan to attend for specific dates.

If I received the HOPE Scholarship for a previous term, do I have to re-apply?

No, you do not have to apply for the HOPE Scholarship every semester as long as your meet the HOPE GPA requirements and there’s no break in enrollment.

Can I receive the HOPE Scholarship if I was not eligible when I graduated from high school?

Yes, after you have attempted 30 semester hours and maintained a 3.00 GPA or higher, you may be eligible forthe HOPE Scholarship.

Do I need all my transcripts from all my prior colleges, although I did not receive transfer credit?

Yes.  The GPA calculation for the HOPE Scholarship includes all credit hours attempted at the college level, including those attempted at other Institutions.

What if I disagree with my HOPE GPA calculation?

If you disagree with the Registrar’s evaluation of your academic eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship, you are welcome to contact the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) for a second opinion.  You can reach GSFC customer contact center toll-free at 1-800-505-GSFC or (770) 724-9000. Representatives are available Monday – Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM. GSFC’s mailing address is:2082 East Exchange Place, Tucker,Georgia, 30084

How often do I get evaluated for HOPE?

The Georgia Student Finance Commission require colleges to verify your HOPE Scholarship eligibility at the end of the semesters in which you attempted your 30th, 60th, and 90th credit hours.  These are referred to as “checkpoints.”  Your GPA must be at least 3.0 each time you reach a checkpoint; otherwise you will lose your HOPE eligibility. There is also an End-of-Spring Semester Checkpoint for all HOPE Scholarship recipients. You must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the end of each Spring semester in order to remain eligible. If you lose the HOPE Scholarship at 30 or 60 attempted hours, you can regain the scholarship if you meet eligibility requirements at the next checkpoint. If you do not have a 3.0 GPA at the 90th credit hour checkpoint, you can never regain eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship.

What are the HOPE Checkpoints?

End-Of-Spring Checkpoints:  This checkpoint applies if you were enrolled in 12 or more hours for at least one of your first three terms at any post-secondary institution you have ever attended and at the end of every Spring term after that.

Second-Tier:  You must have a 3.00 or higher HOPE GPA at the end of the term in which you have attempted 30 semester or 45 quarter hours to remain eligible until the next checkpoint.

Third-Tier: You must have a 3.00 or higher HOPE GPA at the end of the term in which you have attempted 60 semester or 90 quarter hours to remain eligible until the next checkpoint.

Fourth-Tier: You must have a 3.00 or higher HOPE GPA at the end of the term in which you have attempted 90 semester or 135 quarter hours to remain eligible until the next checkpoint.

Students who are not eligible for HOPE after attempting 90 credit hours are permanently ineligible for the HOPE Scholarship.

Will the HOPE Scholarship cover my entire program?

Not necessarily.  There are limits to the HOPE Scholarship: Attempted-Hours limit and Paid-Hour limit. Once a student reaches the Attempted-Hours limit, the Combined Paid-Hours limit, or Seven year expiration he or she is no longer eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.Attempted-Hours limit:  For the purpose of HOPE GPA calculation, ALL credit hours attempted at the college level are counted, including those assigned “W”, “WP” or “WF”. You cannot exceed 127 attempted credit hours from all institutions combined

Paid-Hours limit: All hours for which students received payment from Accel, HOPE Grant (Summer 2003 forward), and the HOPE Scholarship program are included in calculating the total Combined Paid hours. Students are eligible for a combined payment for a maximum of 127 semester hours, unless they are enrolled in specific programs that require more than 127 semester hours for graduation.  In this case the maximum number of covered hours is the hours required for the specific program for graduation.

Seven Year Expiration of Eligibility date: Click here for more information. A student who has receivedHOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until June 30, 2015, as long as the student continues to meet all other eligibility requirements. A student who has not received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until seven years after his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma.

Are GED recipients eligible?

GED students enrolled in a degree-seeking program are eligible for the HOPE Scholarship once they have attempted their FIRST 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of study with a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average. The entry points are based on all degree credit attempted and coursework converted to degree credit since the student earned their GED. NOTE: A student who has not received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until seven years after his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma.

The post Georgia Hope Scholarship FAQ appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

Here is a list of the scholarships that I found using the name  “Hope Scholarship”.

1) Georgia Hope Scholarship (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally)
This is the primary focus of this blog. The Georgia Hope Scholarship helps students in Georgia with GPAs of 3.0 or better. The scholarship has two forms: one provides a full 100% scholarship (The Zell Miller Hope Scholarship) and one that provides a percentage of tuition (The Georgia Hope Scholarship).  More information can be found on the Georgia Hope Scholarship articles on the site.
2) Tennessee Hope Scholarship
This is also a focus of this blog. The Tennessee Hope Scholarship helps students in Tennessee with eligible GPA and ACT or SAT scores. The scholarship provides tuition assitance for students. More information can be found on the Tennessee Hope Scholarship on the site.
3) The H.O.P.E. Scholarship (Helping Others Pursue Education)
From the H.O.P.E. website: The H.O.P.E. Scholarship is a non-profit organization designed to empower financially challenged students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The organization was founded by two Howard University alumni committed to serving their communities. We are raising money to reward deserving students with scholarships through the assistance of students, alumni and supporters of the black
college community, frequent fundraisers, and corporate sponsorships.  Our mission is to make quality education affordable to deserving students. No student should be denied access to a quality education simply because they lack the necessary funds. Household incomes cannot continue to dictate academic outcomes.It does not require a person
with lots of money and lots of success to make a difference in society; hard work, determination and a passion for service can turn any dream into a reality.With the assistance of students and alumni in the black college community, frequent fundraisers, and corporate sponsorships, we are raising money to reward deserving students with $500 scholarships.

4) The Hope Scholarship Fund (Educating Children in Developing Countries)
From their website:
We are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that works to provide hope and opportunities to impoverished children in developing countries. By providing them with access to an education, they gain the ability to choose their futures.The Hope Scholarship Fund to give children of families caught in the cycle of poverty the opportunity to pursue the life they wish to live. The student’s drive and natural abilities, rather than their poverty, will be what determines the career path they can take.

5) South Carolina Hope Scholarship Program
The SC Hope Scholarship has information on this blog. The South Carolina Hope Scholarship helps students in South Carolina. More information on the South Carolina HOpe Scholarship can be found on the site.

6) Project Hope Scholarship Program (Help One Person Excel)
This Scholarship is for students attending a specific college, in this case, Edison State College.
The Project HOPE (Help One Person Excel) Scholarship Program awards a limited number of academic scholarships for
students who meet certain eligibility criteria to complete their Associates of Arts or Associates of Science degree from
Edison State College.
7) HOPE Scholarship (Hispanic Organization for Public Employees)
From their website:
Amount: $1,500 (for students attending San Antonio College, Palo Alto College, St. Phillip’s College, Northwest Vista, and Northeast Lakeview College)
The scholarship is open to any incoming freshman or college student. Preference will be given to dependents of active or retired CPS employees who meet all the criteria. Must attend an Alamo Community College District Campus.
May pursue a degree in any concentration. No income requirement is set forth however, colleges/universities require applicants to fill out a free application for student financial aid. Have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or able based on a 4.0 scale each semester.Community service involvement is required.Provide two letters of recommendation. Must maintain full-enrollment status throughout the duration of the scholarship of the scholarship term.
8) Hope Scholarship Tax Credit
The Hope Scholarship provides a federal income tax credit based on the first $4,000 in postsecondary education expenses paid by the taxpayer during the tax year.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) included the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which expands the Hope Scholarship. This expansion is temporary, limited to the 2009 and 2010 tax years. However, President Obama’s FY2010 budget proposes making these changes permanent. The Hope Scholarship provides a tax credit of up to $2,500 per student per year for
qualified higher education expenses during the first four years of post-secondary education. (The amount of the Hope Scholarship is $3,600 for Gulf Opportunity Zone Students.) The amount of the credit is 100% of the first $2,000 of qualified tuition and related expenses per student and 25% of the second $2,000 of qualified tuition and related expenses.

And there are probably many others. If you know of others and want them on the hope-scholarship.net site, just contact us.

The post Hope Scholarship is a popular name for scholarships appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

(This Post takes data from and information from the Georgia Lottery Website describing “where the money goes“.

The following paragraph comes from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts Financial Report dated January, 19, 2011.)

The Georgia Lottery
The Georgia Lottery for Education Act provides that as nearly as practical, at least 45% of the amount of money from the actual sale of lottery tickets shall be made available as prize money. Through June 30, 2010, prizes amounted to 58.25% of lottery ticket sales net of tickets provided as prizes. The Georgia Lottery for Education Act also provides that, as nearly as practical, net proceeds shall equal at least 35% of the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s lottery proceeds. Net proceeds are required to be transferred to the Office of the State Treasurer quarterly. From inception to June 30, 2010, the Lottery Corporation has transferred 29.83%, over $11.9 billion, of lottery proceeds to the Office of the State Treasurer. The following three charts depict the prizes (percentage), net proceeds (percentage) and net proceeds (dollars transferred) from inception through June 30, 2010.

My Comments:

Note on the graph that the Georgia Lottery has returned the recommended 35% of net lottery proceeds to the scholarship program for only 3 years (1995-1997).  Since 1997, the net proceeds returned has slowly fallen year over year and currently hovers around the 26% range of net proceeds returned.

( The following writing is taken from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts Performance Reports dated March, 2011.)

We found that the language in the Lottery for Education Act is somewhat ambiguous regarding the amount of lottery proceeds that is expected to be transferred to the state. The Act provides that the GLC should “as nearly as practical” remit “at least 35%” of lottery proceeds to the state annually and also requires that the Lottery be operated in a manner that “maximizes revenues.” GLC has not remitted at least 35% of lottery proceeds since fiscal year 1997. GLC’s Board has directed GLC to pursue the goal of maximizing revenue for education.
If the General Assembly wishes to establish more direct control over the Lottery, clarifying the law by removing ambiguous language and conflicting goals would be necessary. However, if the General Assembly establishes a firm requirement regarding the minimum percentage of sales to be remitted to the State, it should ensure that the requirement level that it sets does not limit GLC’s ability to develop new products and to react to changing market conditions. If GLC was required to start remitting 35% of its sales to the state, it would have to abandon its current marketing strategy and it would almost certainly result in significant reductions in sales and proceeds. Achieving a 35% return to the state would require that prize payouts for instant games be reduced, which would most likely result in a (potentially significant) reduction in sales volume, and the net effect would be that the state would receive 35% of a much smaller amount of lottery sales.
In addition to commissions paid to sales staff, GLC has employee bonus (or incentive payment) plans for its executive staff and for its non-commissioned staff. In fiscal year 2010, GLC awarded approximately $532,000 in incentive payments to its executive staff and approximately $1.36 million to its non-commissioned employees (total incentive payments were O.O56% of GLC’s net sales). GLC’s incentive payments to executive staff ranged from $25,460 to $143,277 and its incentive payments to non-commissioned employees ranged from $1,321 to $23,184. We found that few other state lottery programs offer incentive payment plans to its executive and non-commissioned employees. A survey published in 2009 found that six of 43 state lotteries had incentive plans for their chief executives. Our survey of 10 states found two states had incentive plans for their executive staff and two states had incentive plans for their non-commissioned employees. In addition, the number of eligible employees and the amount of incentive awards was less in those states than is offered by GLC.
Finally, we found that while Georgia’s Lottery is generally considered to be high performing, most state lotteries created after GLC was established have not emulated many of GLC’s more innovative attributes. Of seven state lotteries created after 1993, one had a prize payout percentage near Georgia’s, one had a public corporation organization structure, and one awarded incentive pay to its executive level and non-commissioned employees.
In its response to the report, GLC indicated that performance measures are the best indicator of any business model and the audit accurately describes the GLC’s high performance. GLC noted that it was established as a public benefit corporation and given the flexibility to operate as an entrepreneurial enterprise to allow it to effectively respond to an ever-changing marketplace. In addition, GLC expressed concern about the ability to compare lotteries, indicating that each U.S. lottery has been established and operates under unique circumstances. Additional comments provided by GLC have been incorporated throughout the report.

My comments:

The Georgia Legislature should clarify the role of the Georgia Lottery with respect to percentage of net proceeds returned to the scholarship program.  Based on the financial and performance report from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, the Georgia Lottery provides some of the best salaries and bonuses to its executives.   This, along with marketing dollars, could be reduced to help achieve a higher net percentage of lottery proceeds paid to the scholarship program.  Obviously, it is doable based on the results achieved in the years 1995-1997.  The Hope Scholarship is facing a funding problem.  All areas must reviewed for efficiency and evaluated based on the original goals and objectives of the program.  These reports from the GA Dept of Audits and Accounts shed light on some areas to review and evaluate.

The post Hope Scholarship Receives Less Than Recommended Proceeds From Lottery appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

1. Funding from the lottery is not rising to meet demand of #2 and #3
2. Number of students utilizing the program due to economic conditions forcing more instate students
3. Rising tuition costs well above the inflation rate and is acerbated by item #2

The state of Georgia is currently focused, primarily, on item #1 (Funding from the lottery).  Item #2 (Number of students) was addressed last year by raising the standards for qualifying for the Hope Scholarship.  Item #3 (Rising tuition costs) has not, in my opinion, been adequately addressed at this time.

As part of the focus on funding, many in the state of Georgia are looking at adding Video Lottery Terminals (or VLTs) to the Georgia Lottery program.  These video lottery terminals are, according to Wikipedia, quote: ”

A Video Lottery Terminal or VLT is a gaming machine that allows gamblers to bet on the outcome of a video game.

A VLT is similar to a slot machine, in that each terminal is a stand-alone device containing a random-number generator. Each terminal is connected to a centralized computer system that allows the lottery jurisdiction to monitor game play and collect its share of revenue.” end quote.

The key difference is a video lottery terminal versus a slot machine is that VLTs offer players that chance to play against other VLT players as part of the lottery system whereas slot machines are played against the house odds.  Independent of the definition for a VLT, is the fact that video lottery terminals will put a foot in the door for more casino-like gambling in the state of Georgia.  Will it provide an overall increase to revenue for the Hope Scholarship?  Maybe, probably, but to what cost?

I would be much more interested and supportive if Georgia would put additional, real effort on reducing, or even rolling back, the rising tuition costs in the state.  Tuition rates continue to increase more than the inflation rate with little effort being made by the University System of Georgia to change the course.  In fact, a strong argument can be made, that the Hope Scholarship has had an inflationary effect on tuition rates in Georgia.  Why not?  It is “free money” pouring down from the lottery heavens.  But, the money has been pouring on a pile of sand that is able to absorb far more than can be supplied from the lottery cistern.  Let’s go back to the list above and take a look at item #3, rising tuition costs.  Every $1 that is saved in tuition is multiplied by #2 (number of students) and reduces the proceeds needed from the lottery with a multiplicative effect.  It is the one point of the problem that has the biggest pay back.  Any incremental improvement is magnified to the benefit of the whole program.

What is next after video lottery terminals?  Will off track betting, horse tracks, $5 table games, or other offerings be next on the lottery funding proposal list?  I believe that approving video lottery terminals will be a slippery slope that only leads in one direction, downhill.

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Undergraduate tuition will rise 2.5 percent at all schools, except for three research institutions which will see a bigger jump. At Georgia State University, the increase will be 3.5 percent, at the University of Georgia, 5 percent and at Georgia Tech, 6 percent.  Note, the inflation rate was approximately 2% so tuition is increasing once again higher than inflation.  In fact the increase is anywhere from 75% to 200% compared to the estimated inflation rate.

The board also extended for another year a “special mandatory fee” that was originally to have lasted only one year to tide the state’s 35 public colleges and universities over during cuts in the state budget following the recent recession. It began in 2009 and was to expire in June.  The fee generates $120 million a year, according to John Brown, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs. “We are not at a point where we want to put the special institution fee in policy for good,” he said. “We hope there will be a day when we can roll that back. … If we sunset the special institution fee at this point, that would put the system in a bad way.”  Translation:  This fee is not going away, so get used to it.

The final tuition rates by semester are listed for a representative listing of schools in the University System of Georgia.

It is interesting to note that there are no apologies for the increasing tuition rates.  In fact the explanation is “interesting”:

University System officials have also noted often that tuition at Georgia’s public schools is lower than the state schools in neighboring states. They say Georgia students and parents get a bargain and tuition should reflect the prestige Georgia institutions deserve.

“They need to be more in the arena of their peer institutions,” Brown said.

Thank you, Mr Brown.  Let’s not look for how to do better.  Let’s look for how to spend as much as our peers.  Hopefully, our business and economics majors are learning better council.

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 The chart clearly shows the problem with the ballooning in award amounts especially from 2002-2003 to 2010-2011 where the award totals doubled while the number of recipients only change by about 20%.  What this indicates is that the tuition and fees are what is crippling the program and not the number of eligible recipients.

Given this data, I am still in the camp that Georgia does not need to “tweek” the eligibility requirements by adding a financial need component or by continuing to tighten the academic requirements.  It is not the number of students in the program, it is the cost increases from the institutions that are weighing down the program.  Until these costs are brought in line, the problem will continue.  The cuts made in 2010-2011 are a temporary band-aid on the problem.  The next round of cuts need to be on the university system’s shoulders and not on those of the students.

Attribution:  The chart is from the Georgia Student Finance Commission’s website.  The chart provide the Georgia Hope Scholarship Grant and Award Amounts for the history of the program.

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