For Immediate Release: December 2, 2005

Senate Leaders Vow Full-Funding For OHLAP Scholarship Program

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and other Senate leaders pledged once again Friday to fully fund the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program and said the state should build on OHLAP’s success by creating other programs that put a premium on personal responsibility.

“No qualifying student has ever been turned down for an OHLAP scholarship and no qualified student ever will be,” said Morgan, D-Stillwater. “My commitment and the commitment of Senate Leadership to this vital program have been unwavering from its inception and we remain committed to expanding the opportunity for higher education to even more Oklahoma students.”

OHLAP provides tuition scholarships for students who maintain a minimum grade point average, complete a college preparatory curriculum in high school and whose annual family income is below $50,000.

“The truth is we need more programs like OHLAP – programs that place a premium on personal responsibility. These students make a pact with the state to make good grades and stay out of trouble. When they meet their responsibilities, the state is going to meet its responsibility to them,” Morgan said.

In vowing to ensure that OHLAP is fully funded, Morgan was joined Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield and Senator Stratton Taylor, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

“We can’t afford not to fund this program. We have to do all we can to increase the number of college graduates in Oklahoma and offering a college education to more qualifying high school graduates is the best way to accomplish that,” said Taylor, D-Claremore.

Crutchfield, D-Ardmore, agreed.

“This program has been a tremendous success. The number of students from working families who are taking part in the program – both those students in college now and those who are still in high school who have already signed up – is growing every single year. We are committed to making sure funds are there to pay the tuition for every qualifying student,” the Appropriations Chairman said.

More than 57,000 students from nearly 550 different high schools representing all 77 counties have enrolled in OHLAP since its inception in 1992. That total includes more than 48,000 students who have enrolled since 2000, the year state lawmakers raised the scholarship’s family income limit from $32,000 to $50,000. Last year, more than 9,200 10th graders enrolled in the program, an increase of about 1,100 students from the previous year.

Growing participation means costs will grow. Expenses could increase by more than $10 million to $37 million for 2006-07. In addition, the number of scholarship recipients is projected to rise to almost 18,000 students by 2008-09, costing the state anywhere from $44 million to $59 million a year, depending on enrollment, the number of completers and tuition rates.

“That’s dramatically more than the $1 million the program cost in its first year, but we are committed to funding it. We don’t see it as an expense. It’s an investment and investing in a college education for more of our state’s students will pay tremendous dividends for Oklahoma. This program is a fundamental part of making tomorrow better for our children and we intend to see that it is fully funded,” Crutchfield said.

Some have called for a single dedicated funding source for OHLAP, but such a move could actually restrict the program by limiting available scholarships to the amount of revenue from the dedicated source.

“We don’t have many individual funding sources growing at the rate of the OHLAP program. What happens if the funding source produces just $50 million and the need does grow to $59 million?” Morgan asked. “Are those who want to dedicate a single source of revenue to OHLAP going to tell qualifying students that they’re out of luck?

“This program is so vital that it requires the Legislature step put to the plate each and every session to make sure it’s fully funded.”

State law does currently sets aside a portion of gaming revenue as an additional source of funding for OHLAP, but gaming revenue was never intended as the sole source of paying for those scholarships, Taylor said.

“There are a variety of funding sources we can tap to make sure this program
is fully funded and we will do what is necessary to make sure that no qualifying student is left behind,” Taylor said.

Recent history should serve as an example of the Legislature’s commitment to the OHLAP program, the Senators said.

Three years ago when a $700 million revenue shortfall forced lawmakers to slash state agency budgets, OHLAP funding was increased, Morgan noted.

“We demonstrated how committed we are to OHLAP when we made sure that funding was available for scholarships during the most difficult budgeting time in state history,” Morgan said.

For more information contact:
Pro Tem's Office- (405) 521-5605