OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - More funding for a state college scholarship program is needed because lottery revenues aren’t as high as expected, state higher education officials say.
Greg Sawyer, the state’s associate vice chancellor for budget and finance, said lottery funding for higher education likely will fall $15 million to $22 million short of projections for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Sawyer said 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. Officials estimate they’ll need $48 million for the next fiscal year to fund promised scholarships.
“The governor indicated to us that he’ll do whatever he can to help us,†Sawyer said. “We’ll make sure OHLAP students get what they’ve earned, so this program should be invisible to them.â€
Interim State Finance Director Tony Hutchison said that supplemental funding for the OHLAP program “is a likely scenario†and that the state is trying to determine a more precise measurement of the shortfall.
Paul Sund, a spokesman for Gov. Brad Henry, said the issue indicates a need for a more stable funding source for OHLAP.
In January, higher education officials asked for $4.6 million in supplemental funds for OHLAP, which covered a shortfall in gaming revenue.
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