Deputy Commissioner Tristan Denley presented the Board’s annual TOPS report, which staff prepared for statutory submission. Denley said students who receive TOPS are more likely to graduate and do so more quickly than non‑recipients, but noted a long‑term decline in the proportion of eligible students who accept TOPS and attend in‑state.

Denley attributed a significant portion of the decline to a frozen award amount: the TOPS award levels were last adjusted in 2016–17 and have not kept pace with inflation or tuition increases. To address retention of high‑achieving students, the legislature and the board approved a new TOPS “Excellence” level during the last session, a higher award intended to make staying in Louisiana more attractive to top students; Denley said campuses are already using that new tier in recruitment.

Denley and board members discussed recommendations from a broader financial aid review that the board submitted to the legislature earlier in the year; those recommendations include aligning qualifying pathways (including dual enrollment) with TOPS eligibility and exploring strategies to attract students who leave the state to return to Louisiana after degree completion.

Board staff also reported they are arranging data agreements with LA First (the state longitudinal data system) to track whether TOPS recipients remain in Louisiana after graduation and for what percentage of recipients remain and work in‑state.

Why it matters: TOPS remains a central state scholarship tool tied to student retention and workforce development; changes to program structure and award levels affect students’ college choices and the state’s ability to retain talent.

Board action: The board approved the TOPS annual report for statutory submission.