The Louisiana House will consider a bill on Monday that would eliminate the TOPS Tech award. It’s a state funded scholarship for graduating seniors to attend a two year school. Franklin Representative Vinney St. Blanc says he wants to discontinue the TOPS Tech Award in four years, because interest has been declining since 2014.
“Listen to this, 77% of the students eligible for TOPS Tech opt not to accept the award, instead they purse their education elsewhere, either out of state or with non-credit courses,” St. Blanc said.
In 2023, only six-million dollars in scholarship money was given to TOPS Tech recipients or 10% of the total money handed out in TOPS assistance.
St. Blanc says by eliminating Tops Tech, the state can put more money towards the M.J. Foster Promise Program which provides 32-hundred dollars in an academic year to adults who want to be trained for employment in a high demand field.
“Our plan for the next four years is to establish a more robust scholarship program, the M.J. Foster Program is needs based and aimed at providing greater support,” St. Blanc said.
Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin supports the elimination of TOPS Tech. He says interest is high in the Foster Promise Program, but only 10-million dollars is dedicated to it and the money goes quickly.
“We are really trying to pump that up some more, so more of these adults in the workforce or who are not in the workforce can get skills training and go to work,” Erwin said.
At least a 17 on the ACT and a 2.5 GPA is needed to qualify for the TOPS Tech Award. But the Foster Promise Program is needs based, so no academic qualifications are required.
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