Jindal opposes proposal to cap TOPS grants

Gov. Bobby Jindal says he’ll oppose any efforts to limit grants in the state’s free college tuition program called TOPS, a recommendation backed by a higher education study panel earlier this week. The Governance Commission is suggesting a restructuring of TOPS to give all students a flat grant amount, capped at the same level for everyone, rather than tied to the cost of tuition at an individual school. “We remain opposed to any efforts to cap TOPS. We think it is an important program that has been very successful,” Jindal says. Under the idea supported by the Governance Commission, lawmakers could set TOPS awards at two levels: for example, one at community colleges and another for four-year schools, with additional stipends continuing for those higher performing students. Panel members say that “decoupling” would give the state more ability to control the costs of TOPS—formally the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students—and could give some students money to cover costs beyond tuition, such as books and student fees. The proposal would need legislative approval, and similar bills have been rejected repeatedly by lawmakers and resisted by Jindal. The governor is much warmer to other ideas offered by the study panel, including a proposal to give the Board of Regents more power over the four individual university system boards and the state dollars allocated to them. “I actually saw their work on governance to be very consistent with what we’ve supported before,” Jindal says. You can see all of the commission’s recommendations here.