FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan McLagan
678-429-8524
August 22, 2017

Jeffares Begins Rolling Out Tuition Cost Plan

— Lock Tuition Rates at Freshman Year, Cut Costs on Online Classes, Ease Credit Transfers, Reduce Fees —

Locust Grove, GA – State Senator and candidate for Lt. Governor Rick Jeffares today began rolling out his plan to reduce college tuition for Georgia families and help preserve the HOPE scholarship for future generations.

“The existence of the HOPE Scholarship should not be an excuse for college tuition and fees to skyrocket year after year,” Jeffares said.  “Not every kid gets HOPE and slower growth in costs protects us from HOPE cuts in the future.”

Jeffares will roll out a series of proposals on higher education costs this year and began today with the following:

• Lock in tuition costs for each student over a four-year time period.  Tuition for incoming freshmen will be locked in as their per-credit cost for four years (a similar “Fixed for Four” plan was established in 2006 under Governor Perdue but eliminated in 2009)
• Cut the cost of online classes, which currently cost the same as classes in brick and mortar classrooms with faculty
• Ensure that core curriculum credits are transferrable between Georgia colleges and universities so students who complete 100 and 200 level classes don’t have to repeat the same classes if they transfer to a another college or university
• Identify excessive fees that can be reduced or eliminated

“The HOPE scholarship is great but it has discouraged fiscal responsibility in our higher education system” Rick said.  “With HOPE picking up the tab, fewer parents have a stake in tuition costs.  A lot of kids get HOPE, some don’t.  Some others lose it when they can’t keep their grades up.  A B- average should not mean bankruptcy for students or their parents.”

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