Changes to Ind. scholarship plans to save millions

INDIANAPOLIS — New eligibility requirements for Indiana's need-based college scholarship programs are designed to save the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

The changes to the 21st Century Scholars program and Frank O'Bannon grants stem from budget constraints that have strapped the state's ability to cover the costs for a program that has seen a 44 percent enrollment spike since 2006.

The Journal Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/rTcoBh ) the new rules for income and grade-point average will save the state $160 million by 2031.

Republican state Rep. Jeff Espich of Uniondale says the changes will preserve the integrity of the 21st Century Scholars program. The program began two decades ago by promising low-income middle school students full college scholarships if they stayed away from drugs and crime and got good grades.