Number of Eligible Graduates Increases by 18 Percent Since 2012; Class of 2017 First in State History to Have More Than 50 Percent Qualify
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A record number of Louisiana public high school graduates were eligible for
Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) awards in 2017, according to new data from the Louisiana Board of Regents. More than 19,200 graduates in the Class of 2017 achieved eligibility for at least one TOPS scholarship, up from 18,373 in 2016 and 16,289 in 2012. The increase in eligible studentsmarks a gain of 18 percent since 2012. The Class of 2017 was also the first class in state history to top 50 percent of all graduates qualifying for a TOPS scholarship, with 52 percent of graduates meeting the bar.
TOPS is a program of state scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend either one of the Louisiana public colleges and universities, schools that are a part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Louisiana-approved proprietary and cosmetology schools, or institutions that are a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. There are four levels of TOPS awards, based on students' American College Test (ACT) scores, grade-point averages and post-secondary pursuits. Those levels include
Honors,
Performance,
Opportunity and
Tech.
The Class of 2017 saw increased eligibility in every TOPS funding tier since last year and since 2012.
|
2017
|
19,220
|
3,220
|
4,235
|
6,662
|
5,103
|
|
52%
|
9%
|
11%
|
18%
|
14%
|
|
2016
|
18,373
|
3,084
|
4,130
|
6,565
|
4,594
|
|
50%
|
8%
|
11%
|
18%
|
13%
|
|
2015
|
17,955
|
2,793
|
4,074
|
6,800
|
4,318
|
|
50%
|
8%
|
11%
|
19%
|
12%
|
|
2014
|
18,034
|
2,697
|
3,881
|
6,787
|
4,669
|
|
47%
|
7%
|
10%
|
18%
|
12%
|
|
2013
|
17,438
|
2,551
|
3,893
|
6,718
|
4,276
|
|
47%
|
7%
|
10%
|
18%
|
11%
|
|
2012
|
16,289
|
2,215
|
3,733
|
6,479
|
3,862
|
|
|
|
"In Louisiana, more students than ever before are graduating high school, earning high-value credentials, achieving college-going scores on the ACT and completing financial aid forms to fund postsecondary opportunities," said State Superintendent John White. "The increase in the number of students who are eligible to receive TOPS scholarships is another testament to the great work happening in K-12 classrooms across the state to prepare our students for success after high school."
The data released today follow a five-year initiative by the Louisiana Department of Education, in partnership with higher education entities and advocates, to provide increased access to post-secondary opportunities for all high school seniors. Since 2012:
- The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted a policy to give all high school students access to the ACT assessment free of charge. Louisiana became the 10th state in the nation to expand ACT access to all students in 2013. At the same time, ACT and WorkKeys were added as key components of high school accountability.
- The Department revamped diploma pathways to ensure every student graduates having taken a TOPS curriculum. Students now achieve TOPS and TOPS Tech by choosing either a Jump Start Career Diploma or the TOPS University Diploma. Louisiana was recently recognized by the Center for American Progress as one of just four states nationwide that has aligned requirements to receive a high school diploma with admissions eligibility for the state public university system.
- The Department has held a series of face-to-face meetings across the state with professional school counselors to collaborate on implementing appropriate student graduation pathways customized to individual student needs. In addition, the Department provides specialized information to professional school counselors through a weekly newsletter and an annual high school student planning guide.
"The dramatic increase in the number of Louisiana high school graduates entering higher education with a TOPS award is a testament to our collaboration with the Department of Education," said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joseph Rallo. "Together we have increased the rigor of academic work to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities afforded by participation in higher education. The student, as well as the State of Louisiana, benefits from their success."
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