By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
HOPE changes expected to fuel technical college enrollment
OTC president: Lower GPA requirement provides opportunity for more students
Dawn Cartee CMYK
OTC President Dawn Cartee
Legislation that tightened requirements for Georgia’s HOPE Grant was overturned last week after receiving criticism for its negative effect on students and technical colleges throughout the state.Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law House Bill 372, which lowers the minimum GPA requirement for acquiring HOPE grants — part of Georgia’s lottery-funded scholarship program, designated for technical school students — back to its original threshold, 2.0. HOPE Grants fund tuition costs for qualified students.The move comes two years after the Georgia General Assembly agreed to increase the GPA requirement to 3.0 in an effort to overhaul the HOPE program and prevent its collapse. The change caused thousands of students to lose the award and led to enrollment decreases — more than 40,000 students — at technical schools throughout Georgia.HB 372, signed April 24, is backed by Deal as a way to drive workforce development in the state.“We need more college or technical college degrees in order to attract and fill the jobs of tomorrow,” Deal said.
Sign up for the Herald's free e-newsletter