Oklahoma students whose families earn more than $50,000 could qualify for Oklahoma's Promise scholarship program under a recommendation presented Thursday to the state regents.
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The Task Force on Oklahoma's Promise recommends adjusting the family income limit when students apply for the scholarship so that adjusted gross income minus the amount for exemptions equals $50,000 or less. Another recommendation would automatically adjust for family size so that larger families would be allowed to have higher incomes.
For example, a married couple with four children could earn $70,400 in adjusted gross income and still qualify for the program under the proposal.
Bryce Fair, who oversees Oklahoma's Promise for the state regents, said the change would allow participation of more middle-income families that likely don't qualify for need-based financial aid.
"This proposal would bring in a lot of those families," Fair said.
The current family income level, established in 2000, is $50,000, and Fair said the changes would adjust for inflation and provide more fairness to larger families.
All the changes would have to be approved by the Oklahoma Legislature, but Chancellor Glen Johnson said he's optimistic the recommendations would be well received, since four legislators served on the task force.
Fair said the projected cost difference to the state would not be realized until 2012, with an $8 million impact, increasing incrementally to about $43 million in 2019.
Students who participate in Oklahoma's promise must maintain at least a 2.5 grade-point average in a 17-unit core curriculum, attend school regularly and stay out of trouble. Students also must enroll in the program by the 10th grade.
The number of students completing the requirements for participation has increased steadily each year to its current level of 6,530 students.
The regents also accepted a report on the impact of recent hikes in tuition that shows enrollment patterns have not been affected by the increases. The average increase systemwide for a full-time student is $302 annually for the upcoming year.
Johnson said the regents have come forward with a proposal this year not to increase tuition if the Legislature approves $80 million in additional funding that Johnson said would help cover increased fixed costs and expansion of critical academic programs.
Meanwhile, the regents approved a 5 percent increase in Johnson's current annual salary of $286,650 and provided him with a one-time bonus of $10,000. The item was approved without discussion as part of the regents' consent docket.
Johnson was appointed chancellor of the state's higher education system in December 2006.
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