Frustration over TOPS surfaces at hearing

As the House Education Committee plowed through eight TOPS-related bills Wednesday, frustration with the tuition-paying program spilled over into a pointed exchange between Rep. Chris Broadwaer, R-Hammond, and a representative from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation which created the framework for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.
Broadwater ultimately deferred his measure, House Bill HB279, which would reduce the amount of tuition the program covers for college freshmen and sophomores, after meeting opposition from committee members and James Caillier, the executive director of the Taylor foundation.
Caillier said the measure would have a “terrible consequence” on academics. “It’s nice to look at saving a few dollars, but the academic impact should be our number one concern.”
Broadwater shot back, accusing the foundation of refusing to work with the Legislature in recent years, as the state faced continual budget shortages, to find ways to rein in the growing costs of TOPS.
“Thank you, after years of coming to the table with nothing, for finally coming up with an idea,” he said.
Many lawmakers have vowed to change TOPS, which has grown in cost, as the state grapples with a $750 million deficit for next fiscal year, but only one of the measures considered Wednesday made it out of the committee. There are some 20 TOPS bills, some duplicative, circulating in the 2016 Legislature.
If the Legislature does not come up more than $200 million for the TOPS program for the next fiscal year, the required ACT score could be raised to an estimated 28.
Chairwoman Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, pulled her HB390 that would decouple TOPS from tuition, which would allow tuition to increase without the cost of TOPS increasing accordingly. Instead, Landry deferred to an identical proposal from Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville. Gov. John Bel Edwards has announced his support for HB174, which passed through both houses last year before former Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed it.
Decoupling of TOPS and tuition is the only measure the Taylor foundation supported. Caillier criticized the others as “unnecessary.”
“We better do something,” Broadwater warned. “If we go through this process and all these bills die in committee, we’re going to run into challenges.”
Rep. Pat Smith, D-Baton Rouge, who opposed most of the bills, called for proposals to curb spending immediately. Most of the TOPS legislation filed doesn’t go into effect for a few years, or only increase academic standards modestly, which would have a minimal effect on cost.
Baton Rouge Republican Barry Ivey’s HB 438 was reported out of committee favorably, 7-6. The bill would create a new TOPS award for lower-performing students who would receive the scholarship, and require those students to attend community college first. If they meet certain academic requirements, the students could then transfer to a 4-year institution.
Julie Stokes, R-Kenner, offered a proposal, HB581 to reform TOPS into a loan program for students who drop out. Freshmen would pay 100 percent of the award back to the state, sophomores 75 percent, juniors 50 percent and seniors 25 percent. If a student graduates, the scholarship loan would be forgiven.
“What I want to instill…is a sense of responsibility in this great opportunity in a student that might not be taking it seriously,” Stokes said. “I’m simply afraid that TOPS will not be able to go on.”
Another bill by Ivey, HB437 would increase the academic requirements, which he called “extremely low.” Students must currently have a 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT to receive the lowest TOPS award.
Caillier opposed the bills, which were deferred by the committee. He declined an interview request.
“We’re all kind of grasping at straws to make sure TOPS is done in a sustainable manner,” said Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie.
The Senate Education Committee will consider seven additional TOPS bills Thursday.