Bright Flight support grows
Published Feb. 9, 2007
A hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on the Bright Flight Scholarship could move the proposal one step closer to increasing the amount of the scholarship for the first time since its inception in 1986.
The Bright Flight Scholarship remains at $2,000 per year and is awarded to all Missouri students who score in the top 3 percent on the ACT. It is intended to keep the state's top students at state colleges and universities. In 2006, the eligible score was a 30.
Members of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri testified before the committee on Tuesday to push for the passage of the bill, which would increase the amount students receive to $4,000 each year. When the scholarship was created, it was enough to cover tuition and books at a UM system school.
"Increasing Bright Flight to $4,000 won't restore it back to a full-tuition scholarship, but it keeps pace with neighboring states," ASUM member Anthony Brown said.
The scholarship covers just one-third of the tuition for in-state students. It would take more than $9,000 to cover the tuition, ASUM Legislative Director Megan Block said.
"I think it's a good starting point," Block said. "We'll take any increase we can get for our students."
Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, sponsored the bill and said everything went well at the hearing Tuesday.
"It was very well received," Robb said. "Everybody loves it."
Robb said support has come from ASUM, Truman State University President Barbara Dixon, private state colleges and MU. He said he expects a unanimous vote next week.
Robb said despite his sponsorship for the bill, there is a greater concern for need-based scholarships.
"I personally would feel bad about continuing to move Bright Flight forward until we do something about need-based," Robb said.
The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority sale, also known as the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, would provide $25 million in need-based scholarships, Robb said. Along with a couple other scholarships in the works, the initiative could increase funding for higher education institutions.
The reasoning behind raising the Bright Flight amount, Robb said, is "a lot of the students who qualify for Bright Flight are not able to qualify for much need-based (scholarships)."
Robb has introduced similar legislation in previous years that failed, but ASUM is more optimistic about the potential for success this session, Block said.
"I think this is the year for higher education in the Capitol," Block said. "And Bright Flight is definitely a part of that."
