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South Carolina Schools Dependent on Lottery Funds

SOUTH CAROLINA – As reported by the South Carolina State: "Look no further than Irmo High School to get a feel for how important lottery-funded scholarships are in South Carolina.

"Some Irmo parents were furious recently after learning that select college-prep courses, available to just 29 students, could alter class rankings. That could affect who qualifies for a $5,000 or $6,700 lottery scholarship for college.

"The state provides that financial aid from lottery earnings to A and B students with upper-tier class rankings and college entrance exams above the national average, a combination that can shave thousands from future tuition bills at S.C. colleges.

"However, South Carolina's lottery-financed scholarships could be hurt if North Carolina gets into the lottery business, cutting into the Palmetto State's lottery profits. Those profits are spent on education — from kindergarten through college.

"…The S.C. lottery is patterned after Georgia's lottery, and roughly half of its $329 million profits this year went to pay for merit-based scholarships that high school graduates used to defray tuition costs at the state's private and public colleges.

"Some S.C. lottery profits also pay for programs in kindergarten through 12th grade in public schools, including after-school tutoring and buying buses. Public schools got $102.8 million in lottery profits during the 2004-05 school year.

"…Already, concerns about the lottery's future profit levels are starting to affect the state's spending decisions.

"…High school and college officials are concerned lower lottery profits could translate into fewer or smaller scholarships, sending more of the state's best and brightest students to college out of state. That could hurt the academic reputations of S.C. colleges, as well as efforts to keep bright, young South Carolinians in the state…"

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