Letter: Let’s make sure that Millennium Scholars belong

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 | 8:43 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn's request to issue $100 million in bonds to "save" the Millennium Scholarship program presents an excellent opportunity to correct some major flaws in the program.

In its present form, the Millennium Scholarships are an open invitation to high school grade inflation. There's really no reason to change the current grade eligibility level; rather, the B average should be obtained exclusively in core subjects -- English, math and science. Fluff courses should not count.

Core subject grade averages are a key component of Georgia's very successful Star Scholarships and Kentucky's Appalachian Scholarships.

In addition, the University and Community College System of Nevada should be required to develop three different eligibility tests, one each for the universities, the college and the community college. Taxpayers should not have to pay university costs for remedial courses in English and math.

Without these safeguards, Nevada will be taking on approximately $140 million in bonded indebtedness to pay for attempting to provide a college education for kids who don't belong in college.

KENNETH RECORD