1. Preserve the merit-based focus of the HOPE scholarship and encourage application for the federal, needs-based Pell Grant by all potential recipients.

2. Eliminate payment for books effective in the 2004-2005 school year.

3. Eliminate payment for fees starting in the 2004-2005 school year.

4. Cap the number of eligibility hours for the HOPE grant at 95 quarter hours (63 semester hours) effective in the 2004-2005 school year and cap participation across the grant and scholarship programs at the current limit of 127 semester hours. HOPE grants, as opposed to scholarships, go to students attending Georgia's public technical colleges.

5. Limit eligibility for the HOPE grant to those students who do not possess a bachelor's degree effective school year 2004-2005.

6. Implement a standard 3.0 grade point average requirement for the HOPE scholarship effective in the 2007-2008 school year.

7. Make adjustments to HOPE's residency requirement to ensure that it is uniform.

8. Review college students' grades yearly, after spring semester, in addition to the 30, 60 and 90 semester hour checks to insure compliance with the 3.0 GPA requirement.

9. Create a joint legislative oversight committee to monitor lottery revenues and HOPE and pre-k spending.

10. Create a pre-k study commission similar to the HOPE commission to make recommendations to the Legislature.

11. Create a uniform grading system in Georgia, so the cutoff for an A, B, C, D and F is the same in every school district.

12. Discontinue lottery funding for capital projects.

13. Give the Georgia Student Finance Commission authority to declare a temporary "flat grant" payment to all recipients while the state considers additional actions to protect HOPE. This would apply if HOPE enters a fiscal emergency in the future.

Additional options that may be considered (not endorsed by the full commission):

1. Require a minimum SAT score.

2. Use end of course tests, now in development, to determine eligibility.

3. Raise the required grade point average.

4. Pay a flat grant to all HOPE recipients, not to exceed expenses for the program.