Opinions mixed on Bright Flight proposal

With a proposal of $5,000 a year added to Missouri's Bright Flight scholarships if students agree to work full time in the Show Me State after graduation, Cape Girardeau County educators expressed varying opinions on whether the option will create more interest in the program.

The Bright Flight scholarship is based on ACT or SAT scores, according to a story by The Associated Press. Gov. Jay Nixon outlined the proposal Monday and plans to include an additional $15 million with his recommendation for next year's state budget, the AP reported.

Students who score in the top 3 percent get $2,500 a year, which AP said is less than the $3,000 maximum. State law also lets students scoring in the top 4 percent to 5 percent to receive up to $1,000 when the top level is funded.

However, Liz Coleman, director of communications for the Missouri Department of Higher Education, said the 4 percent to 5 percent level haven't been funded in recent years because of budget constraints.

To receive a Bright Flight scholarship, students must score 31 or higher on the ACT test. The highest score possible is 36.

On the SAT, students must score 790 or higher in reading and 780 or higher in math, Coleman said. There are three sections to the SAT -- reading, math and an essay -- with a maximum score of 2400. Coleman said only reading and math scores are counted toward scholarship consideration.

Tests are offered several times throughout the school year. So far this year, scores of students in the Cape Girardeau region would be eligible for Bright Flight scholarships. Notre Dame Regional High School to date has 32 eligible students, four of whom are juniors; Jackson has 12; Central High has five; and Saxony Lutheran High has two.

Meg Garner, director of guidance at Notre Dame, said the extra incentive could help, because a lot of students after college graduation want to come back to the area to work and settle down. Many have strong family ties, or they've just lived here "forever."

Even if they don't return to Cape Girardeau, Garner said, they would be more likely stay in Missouri.

"School is getting increasingly more expensive, and I don't know that many parents are able to have saved enough money to pay for it out of pocket, and certainly children can't pay for it on their own," Garner said.

Central High principal Mike Cowan, who has a senior class of 275 students, including Alternative Education Center students, agreed on college costs. He said high school counselors spend a lot of time seeking scholarships, and a lot of time is spent telling students of scholarship opportunities.

"Those scholarships are very, very important to our families right now. We want to do everything we can to support our children in having as many of those scholarship opportunities as possible," Cowan said. He said he doesn't think the incentive will keep people here who want to leave.

Cowan said Central High will host a financial aid workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 in the Commons. Parents, juniors and seniors are invited to hear a representative from Southeast Missouri State University talk about the admissions process.

Jackson High School guidance counselor Melanie Duncan said she thinks the proposed incentive will keep some students here. However, youngsters would be eager to accept the deal on the front end without knowing whether they were wanting to stay in Missouri after college.

"For the most part we have some every year that go out of state. We definitely send more to SEMO and Mizzou," Duncan said. "I would say you see a lot of your top children looking elsewhere. We have children every year who qualify for Bright Flight that don't take it because they're going out of state."

LaDonna Pratt, Scott City High School guidance counselor, said high-caliber students will work toward high scores on the ACT test as before, and most students stay in Missouri anyway.

"It may give them a further incentive to study that much more or do that much more prep work," Pratt said, especially for students who scored a 29 or 30. "If you have students in the low 20s, it's that much more difficult. I think they're going to try hard, no matter what."

Free test preparation is offered at Scott City, and Pratt said she's seen scores go up five points.

Many Scott City High students, none of whom is eligible for a Bright Flight scholarship, focus on the A+ Schools Program, which provides financial aid to attend any public community college or career/technical school in Missouri, if they meet the requirements. Pratt said this will be the district's second graduating class with A+ participants.

"They work very hard to reach those standards. They're still amazing young people and work very hard," Pratt said.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Bright Flight by the numbers

The law that created the Bright Flight scholarship was passed in 1986, according to information from Liz Coleman, Missouri Department of Higher Education director of communications. The 1987-1988 academic year was the first year scholarships were awarded. Awards for the past five years:

2013-2014, top 3 percent $2,500

2012-2013, top 3 percent $2,000

2011-2012, top 3 percent $1,750

2010-2011, top 3 percent $1,500

2009-2010, top 3 percent $2,000

Pertinent address: 1000 S. Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau

3000 Main St., Scott City

315 S. Missouri, Jackson

265 Notre Dame Drive

2004 Saxony Drive, Jackson