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Board accepts Louisiana higher education financial aid report; recommends aligning technical aid, expanding MJ Foster and revising GoTeach
Summary
The Board of Regents accepted a legislative study on state financial aid that recommends aligning career/technical aid lists, revising TOPS eligibility pathways, converting GoTeach to a restricted first-dollar award, and doubling funding for the MJ Foster Promise program.
The Board of Regents accepted a comprehensive Louisiana Higher Education Financial Aid Report that reviews TOPS and other state aid tools and recommends policy changes to improve affordability and workforce alignment.
The report, prepared in response to a legislative study request, examined TOPS (Opportunity, Honors, Performance), TOPS Tech and TOPS Tech Early Start (dual enrollment), the MJ Foster Promise program (adult technical aid), GoTeach, and other aid instruments. Tristan (Board staff) presented the findings and seven major recommendations aimed at better aligning aid with workforce demand and reversing declines in state-sponsored college affordability.
Why it matters The report documents a long-term shift in the share of higher education costs from state support to tuition and fees and notes Louisiana families face a higher tuition burden, relative to income, than many peer states. It also documents that TOPS awards have been frozen at 2016-17 levels, reducing purchasing power and contributing to outmigration of students.
Major recommendations - Align eligibility lists for TOPS Tech, TOPS Tech Early Start and MJ Foster with a single workforce-informed list maintained by a lead workforce body (Louisiana Workforce Commission) to reduce fragmentation across programs. - Convert GoTeach (teacher-preparation scholarship) from a last-dollar award to a restricted first-dollar model so the program can be fully used and better recruit teachers into high-need fields. - Increase TOPS competitiveness by using authorized but unspent TOPS funds or other allocations to restore purchasing power and consider additional eligibility pathways (e.g., dual-enrollment credits) so students can show readiness beyond ACT/GPA measures. - Expand MJ Foster Promise funding to $21,000,000 (from current ~$10.5M) to sustain an adult-skills aid program that data show produces strong earnings gains for completers. - Improve data collection from private/LECU institutions to measure program effectiveness and financial-aid impact across all providers.
Legislative follow-up Board staff said several recommendations already are tied to bills filed for the 2025 session (including an HB 70-style change to TOPS Tech Early College Credit and other bill drafts linked to GoTeach and MJ Foster). The board voted to accept the report and forward it to the legislature.
Board action Regent Reeves moved and Regent Finley seconded acceptance of the report; the motion passed. Staff said they would provide the report to legislators and work with lawmakers and stakeholders on proposed statutory changes.
Ending Board staff noted the report’s findings will guide legislative engagement this session, with the board urging lawmakers to consider options to strengthen TOPS and career-focused scholarships.
