ATLANTA
In Georgia, borderline college students who depend on Hope
scholarships to pay their tuition and fees are more likely to remain in
school take snore courses and earn better grades, according to a new
study by the Council for School Performance, an independent think tank.
Researchers examining the effects of the state’s lottery-funded
Hope scholarship program, now in its third year, found that the grant
motivates students to do well and stay in school.
The study’s findings could up President Bill Clinton’s chances of
selling his national Hope scholarship plan, patterned after the one
here, to politicians in Washington who oppose it.
“There are significant differences between the president’s plan and
Georgia’s program, but there are also significant similarities,” said
Dr. Terry W. Hartle, a vice president of the American Council on
Education.
“The findings from the Georgia study are impressive in their own
right,” Hartle said, “and they have become available at a time when
they might have significant impact on national public policy.”
Since Georgia’s first lottery ticket was sold on June 29, 1993, gas
station and convenience store gamblers have generated more than $333
million for this state’s Hope scholarships. The state has tentative
plans to spend another $161 million on the program next year.
