Gov. Nathan Deal wants to establish a scholarship that would provide full tuition for tech college students who earn a 3.5 grade point average, his spokesman Brian Robinson said Wednesday.
The Zell Miller Scholarship will be a new part of the HOPE grant program, which has come under intense criticism from Democrats in the wake of a belt-tightening measure pushed through the Legislature. Robinson said some 16,000 technical college students could immediately qualify for the program.
The governor will also propose in his state budget that $10 million be set aside for low-interest loans for needy technical college students. An additional $3.6 million would pay for books for high school students in joint-enrollment programs with technical colleges, Robinson said.
Tech school officials were open to the proposal.
“We appreciate the Governor’s support for our students,” said Mike Light, a spokesman for the system. “(Deal’s plan) looks to be a sound proposal that helps our current and future students, and ensures the long-term viability of the HOPE program.”
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