Education Lottery Scholarships Threatened

South Carolina is unique among states offering financial assistance to college students.  Since 2002, the state has operated the South Carolina Education Lottery.  The sate, as a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (founders of Powerball), promotes the cross-sell lottery program that gives colleges students from across the state funding to pay their tuition and fees.

South Carolina, like many other states, has a budget in shambles.  Money is tight and many technical and community college students fear that the state legislature may channel Education Lottery Dollars to other education line items.  This would prevent many college students from finishing their degrees.  The students' concerns are not unfounded:  33% of technical college students in South Carolina rely on Education Lottery dollars to help cover higher education costs.  A typical Education Lottery scholarship can cover 50% or more of tuition for an entire academic year.

A spokesperson with the South Carolina Education Lottery has said that she is unaware of any plans to reduce scholarship money for technical college students.  Still, students have their concerns.  They have taken action by writing their legislators to personally thank them for Lottery Education scholarships and, in January, technical college students will present an appeal to the state's General Assembly to discuss the importance of funding college tuition.

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