HOLDING TO THE PROMISE

(12/27/2005)

What will happen to the PROMISE scholarships during the 2006 legislative session is anyone's guess, but the House and Senate education chairmen says West Virginia's merit-based scholarship program shouldn't be tampered with because it's still in its infancy. Senate Education Chairman Robert Plymale says it's too soon to put caps on the four-year-old PROMISE scholarship. The PROMISE scholarship board has recommended capping the award to contain costs. PROMISE cost the state nearly $39 million dollars this year and is expected to cost nearly $42 million dollars by fall 2008. Some opponents to limit funding say some of the money goes to individuals whose families have financial resources to pay for college. Plymale says the program should be fully funded and eligibility standards should be raised to keep costs under control. House Education Chairman Tom Campbell agrees that any legislative changes should be minimal. He says PROMISE must be monitored because lawmakers have a history of creating programs that later become too expensive.

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