TOPS Program Continues to Deliver on Promises
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Pat A. Strong Robert J. Bruno Chair Richard E. D’Aquin Maurice C. Durbin Scott O. Brame Donna G. Klein Vice Chair Ingrid T. Labat Robert W. Levy Artis L. Terrell, Jr. W. Clinton Rasberry, Jr. Secretary Mary Ellen Roy William Clifford Smith E. Joseph Savoie Victor T. Stelly Commissioner of Harold M. Stokes Higher Education BOARD OF REGENTS Roland M. Toups P. O. Box 3677 James Klock Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677 Student Member Phone (225) 342-4253, FAX (225) 342-9318 www.regents.state.la.us November 30, 2007 Contact: Kevin Hardy TOPS Program Continues to Deliver on Promises Students who earn a TOPS scholarship are significantly more likely to stay in college and graduate sooner than their fellow students enrolled without TOPS. Moreover, data show that since the advent of TOPS, Louisiana high school students are increasingly more likely to take the more rigorous TOPS Core curriculum, which helps prepare them for career success even if they do not choose to attend college. These facts were part of a report on TOPS, Louisiana’s Tuition Opportunity Program for Students, presented this week by the Board of Regents to the House Education Committee in Baton Rouge. According to the report, 59% of TOPS students at four-year institutions graduate within six years, while their non-TOPS counterparts graduate at a 25% rate. Student retention, the rate at which students persist in college from year to year, is also positively impacted by TOPS. Report data showed that students who enrolled with TOPS in 2003 remained in school for the second year at a rate of 88%, while those without TOPS persisted at rate of 66%. Moreover, 77% of those TOPS students were still in college by the fourth year, as opposed to only 42% of their non-TOPS counterparts. “Yesterday’s report is further confirmation of the value and success of the TOPS program,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie. “Getting more students into college and increasing their likelihood of graduation once enrolled are foundational concerns as Louisiana continues its recovery and efforts to solidify its economic vitality. TOPS is playing a vital role in that process.” One of the most telling statistics revealed in yesterday’s report shows that despite a decline in Louisiana high school graduates between 2003 and 2007 (from 45,226 to 41,370), the number of students graduating having successfully completed the TOPS Core curriculum rose from 25,546 to 27,230 during the same period. “Even students who do not ultimately qualify for a TOPS award or who do not go on to enroll in college are taking the Core at a higher rate each year,” said Theresa Hay, Regents Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Research, who participated in yesterday’s report presentation. “That means that more students are graduating better prepared for employment in a knowledge-based economy. This is a collateral benefit of TOPS that is perhaps not as well known.” Yesterday’s presentation marked the second TOPS report the Board of Regents has presented to the Louisiana Legislature, the previous one having been delivered in 2004. The new The Board of Regents is an Equal Opportunity and ADA Employer report echoed the findings of the first, but it reflected previously unavailable data confirming the very positive impact of TOPS on college graduation rates. The complete report is available online at http://www.regents.state.la.us/pdfs/TOPS/TOPSPPT07.pdf. - 30 - The Board of Regents is an Equal Opportunity and ADA Employer Roland M. Toups William D. Blake Chair Scott O. Brame Richard E. D’Aquin Frances T. Henry Reggie Dupré Vice Chair Stanley J. Jacobs Robert W. Levy Pat A. Strong William A. Oliver Secretary W. Clinton Rasberry, Jr. Virgil Robinson, Jr. E. Joseph Savoie William Clifford Smith Commissioner of Artis L. Terrell, Jr. Higher Education BOARD OF REGENTS Jeraul Mackey, Student Member P. O. Box 3677 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677 Phone (225) 342-4253, FAX (225) 342-9318 www.regents.state.la.us November 16, 2004 Dear House Education Committee Members: I am pleased to submit herewith the Board of Regents report on Louisiana’s Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), as required by Act 1202 (2001) of the Louisiana Legislature. I want to acknowledge the hard work of the Board of Regents’ staff in preparing this report, as well as the invaluable assistance of the Department of Education and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. Without the data and assistance provided to us by these agencies, this comprehensive report would not have been possible. I believe this report indicates clearly that TOPS is accomplishing the purposes for which it was intended. While work certainly remains in preparing more students to meet TOPS eligibility requirements, you will see that the program has had a markedly positive impact on the overall level of student preparation in high school, as well as students’ ability both to attend and to succeed in college. This report is intended to gauge the success of TOPS in relation to its generally- acknowledged purposes: 1) to provide financial incentives for academic performance, 2) to promote academic success by requiring a rigorous high school core curriculum, 3) to encourage Louisiana’s “best and brightest” students to attend college in Louisiana, and 4) to promote overall access to postsecondary education. Among other positive results, the report indicates the following: • Students who take the TOPS core curriculum score significantly better on the ACT. • The number of first-time freshmen with TOPS enrolling in public postsecondary education has increased. • The number of high school graduates leaving Louisiana for postsecondary education has decreased. The Board of Regents is an Equal Opportunity and ADA Employer • A larger number of students with higher ACT scores are remaining in Louisiana to attend college. • Students receiving a TOPS award persist in college at a higher rate than non- TOPS students. • More students with TOPS graduate from college, and in a shorter period of time, than non-TOPS students. Along with this good news, however, the report also points to issues which must be evaluated more closely, among them the following: • Why aren’t more students taking the required TOPS core curriculum in high school? • Are the core curriculum courses of sufficient quality at all schools across the state? • Why are so few of the students who are eligible for TOPS Tech taking advantage of the opportunity? • How can the state improve TOPS eligibility among students in lower income brackets? The Board of Regents will continue to assess the data available through the TOPS Reporting System in an ongoing effort to maximize the benefits of TOPS for Louisiana’s students. Please do not hesitate to contact me or the Regents staff if we can provide further details on the data contained in this report or on the TOPS program in general. Thank you. Sincerely, E. Joseph Savoie Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education The Board of Regents is an Equal Opportunity and ADA Employer TOPS REPORTING SYSTEM REPORT TO THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE BOARD OF REGENTS NOVEMBER 16, 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPS.................................................................................................................Page 3 ACT 1202 of 2001 ............................................................................................Page 5 DATA MODEL ................................................................................................Page 6 ACT 1202 REPORT ......................................................................................... Page 9 Preparation ........................................................................................................Page 9 Participation ....................................................................................................Page 10 Persistence....................................................................................................... Page 14 Retention of TOPS Award..............................................................................Page 15 Graduation....................................................................................................... Page 16 SUMMARY....................................................................................................Page 17 APPENDICES ................................................................................................Page 20 2 TOPS The Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) is Louisiana’s comprehensive, merit-based student aid program. The program was implemented with the fall 1998 incoming freshman class. Although the legislation that created TOPS does not directly establish the goals of the program, four generally accepted purposes of TOPS are: • To provide financial incentives as a reward for good academic performance; • To promote academic success by requiring completion of a rigorous high school core curriculum; • To keep Louisiana’s best and brightest in the state to pursue postsecondary educational opportunities; and • To promote access to postsecondary educational opportunities. Since its inception, TOPS has consisted of a series of awards, each with its own title, eligibility criteria and award value. Currently, these are the Honors, Performance and Opportunity awards for students pursuing academic degrees at two-year and four- year colleges and universities, and the Tech award for students pursuing skill, occupational, or technical training through non-academic programs at two-year colleges. Students qualifying for a