Legislators are looking into ways to improve TOPS to retain the state’s best and brightest.
TOPS is an achievement-based scholarship. Students need to earn a minimum ACT score of 20 to qualify for a TOPS award. According to the latest Board of Regents legislative report, the average ACT score is 24.5 and 38% of these high achievers earn a bachelor’s in 4.4 years, while 62% complete in six years, mostly after high school. The report also shows TOPS Tech students take 3.7 years to complete a two-year degree after high school.
What can we learn from this? Is the amount of the TOPS scholarship the issue or could it be something else?
At GEO Next Generation High School, we are seeing a trend that is worthy of consideration. It’s not only leading to better student outcomes but also saving big money for the state and its families.
This year’s graduating class continues to prove the value proposition the school makes to its students — do your part and the school will do its part to maximize time and money, making sure you earn a college degree debt-free before graduating from high school.
The student population at the northeast-side open enrollment charter school is 100% minority and nearly 100% low-income. The “B” state-rated school created a unique partnership with Baton Rouge Community College, placing nearly 50% of its high school students on the college campus every day. Students start as early as ninth grade taking college classes.
Kevin Teasley
They learn critical soft skills college professors expect, such as time management, self-discipline and how to work with others. In short, they gain the knowledge, confidence and grit they need to be successful in college — all while earning a high school diploma and college credential simultaneously.
This doesn’t happen without a real commitment from school leaders. GEO’s staff provides academic, social and emotional support to ensure students succeed at the college level. After all, most are the first in their families to go to college.
We don’t require a minimum ACT score for students to start taking college classes, either. Students must meet the same academic expectations of any other college students, placing “college ready” on the Accuplacer assessment and/or having a qualified GPA to start taking college-level classes. We provide remediation support to those who do not meet these standards.
And students are rising to the challenge. Six (10%) earned their associate's degree in our first graduating class. Fourteen (20%) completed their associate degree last year. And 20 (30%) of our 2025 graduates completed their associate's degree before graduating from high school this year. This is a positive trend.
The impact of GEO’s model extends beyond earning an associate degree in high school, too. This year, two of our six 2023 associate degree earners are completing their bachelor’s degree from Xavier and LSUA, respectively, just two years out of high school. Three more will complete their bachelor’s from LSU next year, just three years removed from high school.
Here is the real kicker. These students are earning these degrees without TOPS funding. GEO covers 100% of all college costs incurred by our students while they are in our high school — tuition, textbooks and transportation — with the same state funds provided to traditional public schools. There are no additional state costs.
GEO’s model blurs the line between high school and college. We are improving high school graduation rates, accelerating time of college degree completion rates, using existing taxpayer resources (BRCC) and, perhaps most importantly, we are preparing students to enter the workforce and become taxpaying citizens earlier in life.
TOPS is an important part of Louisian’s future. However, the Board of Regents notes that participation rates by minorities are moving too slowly to close achievement gaps fast enough. Hopefully, GEO has introduced a new, promising strategy to strengthen Louisian’s future for all to consider.