Higher Education Jennifer Lee Reports How Student Debt Worsens Racial Inequality November 18, 2020 / October 13, 2026 by Jennifer Lee Download PDF Higher education is a pathway to greater financial security and prosperity. The pandemic-induced recession illustrates how Georgians without degrees are most vulnerable during economic downturns, with unemployment rates for individuals with a high school education only—37 percent of adult Georgians—consistently double that of those with a college degree.[1],[2] Many jobs lost […] Read more » Education Higher Education student debt Student Loans
Higher Education Jennifer Lee People Powered Prosperity Reports Scholarships are a Better Way to Use Lottery Dollars Than Student Loans October 14, 2020 / October 13, 2026 by Jennifer Lee Download PDF As the country finds itself in another historic recession, Georgia faces an opportunity to focus state financial aid resources on an equitable economic recovery. A budget-neutral and effective option is to rework the state’s troubled lottery-funded Student Access Loan program to fund scholarships and grants that support degree completion. Georgia is […] Read more » Education Higher Education Lottery
Higher Education Jennifer Lee People Powered Prosperity Reports Uncategorized Moving HOPE Forward into the 21st Century September 14, 2020 / October 13, 2026 by Jennifer Lee Download PDF HOPE has made college more accessible and affordable for more almost two million college students since Georgia voters approved the creation of the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarships and Grants more than 25 years ago. Georgia needs to develop and harness all its people’s talents in order for the economy to recover and stay competitive. […] Read more » Financial Aid Higher Education HOPE HOPE Scholarship Zell Miller Zell Miller Scholarship Program
Budget Primer Higher Education Jennifer Lee K-12 Education Stephen Owens Georgia Education Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2021 August 10, 2020 / August 11, 2020 by Jennifer Lee Georgia’s 2021 Education Budget Georgia lawmakers cut $1 billion from the state’s budget for the Department of Education. The bulk of these cuts, totaling $950 million, will be passed on to 181 local K-12 school systems. State support for private school vouchers through tax credits and direct state funding face no budget cuts. Public school […] Read more » Budget Budget Cuts Education Higher Education HOPE Scholarship K-12
Fact Sheets Higher Education Jennifer Lee Learning the Basics Uncategorized Fast Facts on HOPE – 2020 July 29, 2020 / August 13, 2020 by Jennifer Lee HOPE At-a-Glance provides a quick and simple reference of the state’s six lottery-funded HOPE programs. HOPE provides grants and scholarships to students pursuing technical certificates and diplomas and associate and bachelor’s degrees. This downloadable, one-page fact sheet includes state budget information, eligibility requirements and number of students served. For more detailed information on HOPE, visit […] Read more » higher ed Higher Education HOPE Scholarship
Fact Sheets Higher Education Jennifer Lee Learning the Basics Fast Facts on Student Access Loans July 2, 2020 / October 13, 2026 by Jennifer Lee Download PDF Student Access Loans (SAL), or Low-Interest Loans, are student loans funded by lottery dollars. The program began in 2012. Before using SAL, student borrowers must first use all available federal, institutional and private scholarships and loans, as well as veterans’ educational benefits. Georgia’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget for student access loans […] Read more » Higher Education student access loans Student Loans
Blog Higher Education Jennifer Lee People Powered Prosperity Keeping Pre-K Stable Helps Georgia Children and Parents June 17, 2020 / July 28, 2020 by Jennifer Lee Key Takeaways Agency budget proposals for lottery-funded programs included no cuts to HOPE and $53 million in cuts to pre-K. This would mean the elimination of 4,000 slots for Pre-K students, 13 fewer instructional days for children and six fewer teacher planning days. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to restore the 4,000 pre-K slots that […] Read more » Budget Budget Cuts Higher Education HOPE Lottery Pre-K
Coronavirus Higher Education Jennifer Lee Reports Commonsense Solutions Can Mitigate Unprecedented Cuts to Higher Education May 21, 2020 / October 13, 2026 by Jennifer Lee Download PDF Key Takeaways Pending budget cuts to the University System of Georgia have the potential to reverse years of progress, lowering instructional quality, increasing dropout rates and hampering upward mobility. Similar cuts to the Technical College System could have negative long-term effects as less money flows to colleges for retraining displaced workers and educating […] Read more » college coronavirus covid HOPE Lottery tcsg Technical College System of Georgia University System of Georgia usg
Coronavirus Higher Education Jennifer Lee People Powered Prosperity State Agency Approves New Dual Enrollment Caps, Grade-Level Restrictions and SAT/ACT Deadlines for HOPE May 7, 2020 / July 28, 2020 by Jennifer Lee The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) Board of Commissioners approved several policy changes to Dual Enrollment, HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships on May 1. Dual Enrollment changes follow the passage of House Bill 444, legislation designed to curb cost growth in the fast-growing program, which the governor signed on April 28. Other policy changes come […] Read more » Higher Education
Blog Coronavirus Higher Education Jennifer Lee Reports Students Need to Be Secure to Be Successful April 30, 2020 / May 28, 2020 by Jennifer Lee The coronavirus pandemic reveals the fragile financial situations of many Georgia college students. Many Georgia students struggle to pay for basic needs like housing, food, health care and transportation. Before the pandemic: 42 percent of students reported not receiving any financial support from parents or guardians 39 percent struggled with stable housing 37 percent had […] Read more » coronavirus COVID-19 Higher Education lottery reserves