Here’s how much money from the Georgia Lottery has gone to the Lottery for Education Account for the past five fiscal years:
Fiscal Year 2015: $980.5 million
Fiscal Year 2014: $945.1 million
Fiscal Year 2013: $927.5 million
Fiscal Year 2012: $901.3 million
Fiscal Year 2011: $846.1 million
Source: Georgia Lottery Corp.
For the fourth consecutive year, Georgia’s lottery profits for state education programs set a record.
About $980.5 million will be transferred to Georgia’s pre-kindergarten program and HOPE scholarships for college students, according to the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Profits from fiscal 2015, which ended June 30, exceeded last year’s by more than $35.4 million.
“We are pleased to have raised more dollars for education than in any previous year,” lottery president and CEO Debbie Alford said Tuesday.
Lottery officials credited draw and instant games, which all performed well. Also contributing were the revenue from coin-operated amusement machines, and the introduction this year of Jumbo Bucks Lotto, the first Georgia-only lottery game offering jackpots starting at $1 million.
State officials who oversee Georgia’s pre-kindergarten and HOPE programs were ecstatic about the increase.
“That’s fantastic news,” said Amy M. Jacobs, commissioner of the state’s Department of Early Care and Learning.
State leaders will determine how much of the additional money will go into the pre-K program and to Georgia’s HOPE scholarships.
Georgia’s pre-K program could use the extra money, according to some research.
Georgia ranks 23rd nationally in spending on pre-kindergarten programs, according to an annual national study by the National Institute for Early Education Research. It found Georgia spends about $1,000 less per child than it did a decade ago. About 60 percent of Georgia 4-year-olds are in the pre-K program, which is the seventh-highest rate nationally.
Jacobs is chairwoman of an early childhood subcommittee looking for ways to increase access for Georgia children. The committee is looking at issues like class sizes and teacher compensation, Jacobs said. Recommendations are due by Dec. 1.
“We’re always looking to make improvements in pre-K,” Jacobs said.
The lottery has returned more than $16.5 billion to the state for education since its first year in 1993, according to the corporation. The contributions have funded pre-K for more than 1.3 million children and HOPE awards for more than 1.7 million college, university and technical college students.
The HOPE award amounts have already been set for the upcoming academic year, but the increased lottery revenues will allow the Georgia Student Finance Commission — which operates the HOPE program — to continue to promote and increase access to higher education, a commission spokesman said.
Four years ago, state lawmakers stiffened HOPE requirements to prevent the program from going broke. The scholarship dollars now pay fewer college costs for fewer students. At the same time, the cost of college, including tuition at Georgia’s colleges and universities, has steadily increased.
State Rep. Stacey Evans has sought to restore the HOPE cuts and pushed for a larger percentage of lottery ticket sales to be used for education, particularly some of the corporation’s funds.
“I’m thrilled to hear that the lottery has had such a successful year,” Evans, D-Smyrna said Tuesday. “I hope it translates to more assistance to Georgia students for HOPE grants and scholarships.”
Members of a House study committee on preserving the HOPE scholarship program were appointed this month. The committee established by state lawmakers during the most recent legislative session will explore creating additional revenue sources for HOPE, such as state taxation of casino gaming and pari-mutuel betting on horse racing.
“I’m hopeful the committee will also look at what we’ve got in the lottery (funds) and how those (funds) are growing,” Evans said. “Some of those (funds) could be used to close our skills gap.”
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