|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
State
Rep. Tony Payton |
|
Payton: Educators give REACH scholarship initiative an ‘A’
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – The House Education Committee recently met to hear testimony from education professionals across the state on legislation that would provide all Pennsylvania students who have demonstrated academic excellence the opportunity to attend college.
State Rep. Tony Payton, D-Phila., who introduced the bill (H.B. 1722), said he was pleased with the positive feedback his proposal received.
The legislation would create Reliable Educational Assistance for College Hopefuls, to be referred to as REACH, a statewide merit-based scholarship program for all students in Pennsylvania who maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average and a 90 percent attendance record. The program would ensure those students would receive a scholarship covering all tuition and fees to any university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
“Most everyone hopes their child will be able to attend college one day, and
it’s important to encourage students to pursue a higher education, but it also
must be within their reach financially,” Payton said. “My proposal would do
just that by rewarding the scholastic efforts of Pennsylvania students and giving
them the chance to attend college for free so that no talented student is kept
from succeeding because of money.
“The reaction my REACH legislation received from educators was gratifying and further bolsters my commitment to seeing this plan come to fruition.”
The cost of attending college for an in-state resident in Pennsylvania is one of the highest in the nation and tuition is increasing far quicker that the rate of inflation.
###ac/2007/agh
l:\print\releases\educ REACH.179
|
CONTACT: Ann Collis |