LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / December 15, 1999

LAPLACE – Rep. Bobby Faucheux has a few ideas to get college graduateswho take advantage of the TOPS program to stick around and help Louisiana’s progress.

The Tuition Opportunity Program for Students pays the full tuition of qualified students who attend a Louisiana college or university. Last year,more than 25,000 students received TOPS scholarships, totaling $81 million.

Faucheux wants to keep more of those TOPS graduates, once they complete their studies, working in Louisiana and is suggesting amending the program to enforce that notion.

Unless they agreed to live and work in Louisiana for an unspecified amount of time, they could be obligated to repay the funds, according to Faucheux’s suggestion.

Faucheux authored a study resolution to the Office of Student Financial Aid during the spring session, asking simply for a review of the program with an eye toward making sure Louisiana truly benefits.

Faucheux said, “All this is is a study resolution. We need to take a goodlook at it.”He noted when TOPS was first conceived it was estimated to cost Louisiana $40 million a year, a figure which has since more than doubled.

However, Faucheux added: “We want to keep our local kids in Louisiana. I’mnot looking at penalizing anybody.”In response to the idea, River Parish area school superintendents are divided.

St. John Parish’s superintendent of schools Chris Donaldson, responded, “Iwouldn’t be in favor of any changes to the program.”He added in many cases the jobs aren’t available in Louisiana.

“These kids have to take the jobs where they can get them,” Donaldson said. “It’s a wonderful program but we need to be working on the economy.The issue is to get jobs for our young people to stay in Louisiana. I wouldhate to see them mess up TOPS.”Faucheux admitted jobs are in scarce supply.

“We need to look at that, too,” he said, at the same time pointing out the program where education students who agree to teach an equal number of years in Louisiana schools as their own college years addresses the critical teacher shortage in Louisiana.

St. Charles Parish’s superintendent Dr. Rodney Lafon, said he believesFaucheux’s idea “has a little merit,” but he encourages the representative to look instead at expanding the TOPS program to assist students in the vocational and community colleges.

“While I hear what Bobby’s saying,” Lafon said, “he should look at other things as well. He’s trying to keep our best and brightest in Louisiana. Idon’t think I can fault that.”

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