Officials Say State Scholarship Program Needs More Money

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State higher education officials say more funding for a state college scholarship program is needed because lottery revenues aren't as high as expected.<br/><br/>Greg Sawyer,

Friday, December 29th 2006, 6:10 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State higher education officials say more funding for a state college scholarship program is needed because lottery revenues aren't as high as expected.

Greg Sawyer, the state's associate vice chancellor for budget and finance, says lottery funding for higher education likely will fall $15-million to $22-million short of projections for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30th.

Sawyer says that means there likely won't be enough lottery money to pay for spring tuition payments for Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program scholars.

OHLAP scholarships go to students with family incomes of $50,000 or less. The state pays in-state tuition for students who meet academic and other requirements in high school.

The program will cost $37-million this year.

Interim State Finance Director Tony Hutchison says supplemental funding for the OHLAP program is a likely scenario.