Dreams of Oklahoma High School Students Held Hostage by House Republicans

The vice chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Education said today that House leaders need to fulfill their promise to help the thousands of Oklahoma high school students who have dreams of going to college.

Senator Daisy Lawler, D-Comanche, said the House Republican budget is holding the hopes and dreams of these high schools students hostage by failing to fully fund the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP).

The Senator said OHLAP was created to ensure Oklahoma school children, who might not otherwise be able to go, have an opportunity to attend college.

“I have parents in my district whose children have taken the right courses and made the right grades and are counting on an OHLAP scholarship so they can attend college. They’ve kept up their end of the bargain but the House Republicans are robbing them of a chance to get a college education through OHLAP,” Lawler said.

The Democrat-led Senate is proposing an $85 million appropriation increase for Higher Education to fully fund OHLAP scholarships and head off double digit tuition increases at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities.

In two different general appropriations bills, the Republican-led House has increased funding for Higher Education by only $7 million over current levels. The House budget won’t cover the increased operating costs of colleges and universities or OHLAP.

“The state budget is a reflection of our values. Senate Democrats value education and opportunity for our young people, regardless of the size of their parents’ paycheck. By holding our budget hostage, the House Republicans are proving that they don’t. They want to spend the money promised to these hard working students on tax cuts for the rich,” Lawler said.

OHLAP provides tuition scholarships for students whose family income is $50,000 or less and who maintain a specified grade point average while completing a college-preparatory curriculum. Students sign up for the program while they are in high school and, if they qualify, are promised a scholarship when they graduate.

“I believe when you make a promise you should keep it,” Lawler said.

Senate Democrats, she said, intend to see that the state keeps the promises it has made to these students.

“The fact is Senate Democrats value education, value the jobs that come with an educated workforce and value the working families that have those jobs,” the Senator said. “Our budget proposal serves as a true reflection of the things Senate Democrats value by fully funding OHLAP, preventing double digit tuition increases and keeping the promises we’ve made to our children.”

“Robbing our children of their hopes for the future is not acceptable to me as a former teacher. The House Republicans need to quit playing politics and come to the table so we can fully fund Higher Education. OHLAP has succeeded in increasing the number of Oklahoma high school students who attend college and complete their degree. I can’t understand why the House Republicans are trying to hold up a program that has proven to be so very successful,” Lawler concluded.