Last month's dramatic cuts in the state budget for need-based scholarships (Access Missouri) are short-sighted and very poorly timed.  At this point in the year, guidance counselors, families, and college access professionals have wrapped up the process of helping students evaluate financial aid packages and make educational decisions for the coming academic year with careful attention to economic consequences. Students from low-income families are not able to replace the $3,000 the state will cut from each award to those attending private colleges. Students attending public colleges will not find an extra $1,000 available to replace what the state has cut from their aid.

Within a few short years, the need-based Access Missouri grant program has declined from almost $100 million to $32 million.  Neither tuition rates nor average family income have counterbalanced this shortfall.  The number of Missourians qualifying for the grant increases every year.  At current levels of participation and the slashed budget, maximum awards for the coming school year are estimated to be $500 for students attending public institutions and $1,000 for those attending private colleges.  Community college students might qualify for as much as $150. 

At these levels of funding, it's hard to imagine that any student will find meaningful educational opportunity or increased affordability as a result of the state of Missouri's "aid."  Schools and financial aid analysts have been debating all year the proposal to make the award structure equal for students attending public and private colleges, but the eventual agreement to do so loses any real import in the face of such a huge budget cut.  Even if MOHELA's decision to dedicate $30 million to scholarships is used to shore up Access Missouri this year, the program will still be cut deeply and thus ineffective to make any impact at all upon degree completion in our state.

The St. Louis Regional College Access Pipeline has recently reported that our region ranks 24th of 35 metropolitan areas in proportion of adults with baccalaureate degrees.  The region ranks a deplorable 31st of 35 in degree attainment among African-Americans.  While money alone won't move us closer to the goal we set of 50 percent of adults with postsecondary degrees by 2020, it will be nearly impossible to move in the right direction without adequate need-based financial aid from the state of Missouri. 

While 2010-2011 looks bleak for Missouri students who are without the financial resources to attend college, future years will be even bleaker for the St. Louis region and for our state.  The economic vitality of our region correlates closely with the educational attainment of our citizens.  Denying opportunity now will cost dearly for generations to come. Although the state budget is severely constrained and difficult decisions must be made, cutting need-based scholarships will move the state and our region further from producing the talented workforce we need to be competitive.

Among the most significant factors in a low-income student's persistence to degree completion is affordability.  While that statement seems painfully obvious, it's worth saying aloud to public officials of the state of Missouri at this very moment. Missouri students from low-income households cannot attend college without need-based aid.

Amy Basore Murphy is scholarship officer for The Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation. Faith Sandler is executive director of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. They are on the steering committee of St. Louis Regional College Access Pipeline Project.