State legislators are touting the benefits of a major retooling of the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship program. 

The proceeds raised through lottery sales are to provide financial assistance to Tennessee citizens attending post-secondary institutions. After funding such scholarships, excess funds are to be used exclusively for capital projects for K-12 facilities, pre-kindergarten programs, and/or after school programs. 

“This year, the General Assembly was able to increase opportunities for students in each of these areas,” said Sen. Jamie Woodson, R-Knoxville, who is chairperson of the Senate Education Committee.

The changes to the lottery funding system are numerous according to information supplied by Woodson and Monroe County’ state Sen. Randy McNally, R- Oak Ridge.

This year, the Energy Efficient Schools Initiative was passed fulfilling the first constitutional purpose set out on the ballot for use of excess lottery funds. A council of professionals and experts in energy-related fields will approve these K-12 capital improvement projects for school systems aimed at greatly decreasing energy costs. The state comptroller estimates that such projects could ultimately save local school systems $29 million per year.

McNally told The Advocate and Democrat he saw tying the use of the money for construction as key and the best use of the funding for building projects.

Other changes include:

• The opportunity to earn or maintain a scholarship was extended to nearly 12,000 additional students. One key group of new scholarship recipients is nontraditional students. The changes in the program will allow working adults who are seeking to enhance their lives and the lives of their families to return to college and earn a degree. 

• New provisions will enable military men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to receive the financial assistance to attend college.

Another provision will allow students to maintain the HOPE award through 72 hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.75. After 72 hours, recipients will continue to receive the HOPE if a 3.0 is achieved on a semester-by-semester basis rather than cumulatively. Additional students benefiting from reforms in the scholarship program are foster children; students enrolled in five-year programs; students dually enrolled in high school and collegiate courses; students who are financially needy; and medical students who commit to working in rural, underserved areas of the state.

The legislature took its first steps toward funding capital projects for K-12 facilities. The constitutional amendment creating Tennessee’s lottery scholarship program adopted in 2002 approved the use of excess dollars for three purposes.  The amendment listed K-12 construction as the first purpose, new Pre-Kindergarten classes as the second, and after school programs as the third.  

The governor recommended and the legislature has approved funding for Pre-K classrooms from the lottery scholarship fund for the past several years.  The General Assembly also approved funding for after school programs from the lottery’s unclaimed prize fund.