HOPE Scholarship

State scholarship program (begun 1993) funding college tuition for eligible Georgia students.

FY14

Fiscal year 2014; used here to report HOPE awards of about $179.6 million to 108,946 students.

Board of Regents

Autonomous governing board that oversees the University System of Georgia.

University System of Georgia

The network of public colleges and universities in Georgia subsidized by the General Assembly.

General Assembly subsidy

State legislative funding provided to support public higher education.

Equity of service

Concern that educational access and resources are distributed fairly across regions and institutions.

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

Federal welfare reform program Georgia implemented to encourage work and reduce welfare dependency.

Welfare reform

Policy changes (federal and state) aimed at moving recipients from public assistance into employment.

Welfare rolls

The number of people receiving public assistance; noted to have declined in the 1990s.

State mandate

A state‑level requirement that local governments must implement or enforce a policy or program.

Policy preemption

State law that overrides or limits local government authority on a given issue.

Unfunded mandate

A state or federal requirement imposed on local governments without providing funding to comply.

Home rule

Authority granted to local governments to manage local affairs without state interference.

County powers

Traditional role of counties as state administrative units; some counties gaining broader general‑purpose powers.

City charter

Legal document from the state defining a municipality’s powers and limits.

Intergovernmental relations

The study and practice of cooperation and conflict among federal, state, and local governments.

Cooperative councils

Local‑state collaborative bodies formed to coordinate policy and share federal/state funds.

State oversight

The state’s authority to supervise, fund, or preempt local programs and services.