Revamped HOPE Reform Bill Passes

After passing both the Georgia House and Senate, the  is heading to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk.

Deal, who said he will sign the bill early next week, described HOPE as “the greatest gift our state has to offer to students.”

“With the visionary leadership of our Legislature, we have moved these programs from the brink of bankruptcy, closed a gigantic shortfall and placed the lottery-funded programs on firm financial footing,” Deal said in a statement.

The new HOPE program will provide full tuition for students who graduate high school with a 3.7 grade point average and a SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of 26. Students with a 3.0 GPA will receive a reduced amount that is tied to lottery revenues. For fall 2011, the award will be 90 percent.

“For over 18 years HOPE has enabled students to attend schools at home, and letting the program diminish was not an option here,” Deal said. “The General Assembly and I have developed a plan that aims to continue to keep Georgia’s brightest students on our own turf with hopes that they will thrive here after finishing their education and provide more prosperity for our state in the coming years.”