$3.3 billion Invested in Georgia's Pre-K Program

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Georgia Lottery Corporation announced that it has transferred a total of $10 billion for education to the state of Georgia since its inception in 1993. Gov. Sonny Perdue accepted the oversized check marking the significant milestone of the corporation's contribution to programs such as Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia's Pre-K Program.

Approximately $3.3 billion of those funds have gone towards the education of more than 860,000 children who participated in Georgia's Pre-K Program during the last 15 years. Georgia's Pre-K Program is administered by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (Bright from the Start).

"Georgia's Pre-K Program was first funded by the Georgia Lottery Corporation for education in 1993. We received $37 million and served 8,700 children," said Holly Robinson, Commissioner of Bright from the Start. "During 2007-08, the program received $325 million ensuring that 78,000 of Georgia's four year olds would receive quality early learning experiences."

This is the first year that Georgia's Pre-K Program earliest participants are eligible to enroll in colleges and universities across the state. Gov. Perdue recognized some of these students during his annual State of the State address earlier this year.

In addition to its direct impact on Georgia's children, Georgia's Pre-K Program has generated national attention for the state, contributed to an increase in early learning and development, and, more importantly, supported parents in their role as a child's first and most vital teacher.

Governor Perdue, Georgia Lottery Officials Announce Milestone Achievement

Today (July 15, 2008) Governor Sonny Perdue joined Georgia Lottery Corporation President and CEO Margaret DeFrancisco at Georgia Lottery headquarters to announce that it has transferred a total of $10 billion for education to the state of Georgia since the lottery’s inception in 1993.

“Today, we mark $10 billion in total that the Georgia Lottery has contributed to education in Georgia since it was launched in 1993,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “In those fifteen years, we’ve seen record payouts, record ticket sales and, now, this staggering contribution to the future of Georgia’s children and our state as a whole.”

The Georgia Lottery has experienced extraordinary success as one of only two traditional lotteries in the nation to experience 10 consecutive years of growth in profits.

“The Georgia Lottery Corporation has a success formula that works and delivers results for Georgia’s students and families,” DeFrancisco said. “Lottery-funded HOPE Scholarships and Pre-K Programs have made a fundamental difference in the lives of so many Georgians. The transfer of our $10 billionth dollar to education is a tremendous accomplishment that we can all celebrate.”

DeFrancisco presented Governor Perdue with an oversized check for $10 billion made payable to “Georgia Students” during today’s ceremony.

The Georgia Lottery’s fiscal year 2008 profits transferred to the State Treasury’s Lottery for Education Account amount to $858,355,000, surpassing last year’s record transfer by more than $4.8 million.

Georgia Lottery sales for fiscal year 2008, which spanned from July 1, 2007 to June, 30, 2008, totaled $3,519,341,000 – the highest in the lottery’s 15-year history and more than $97.6 million ahead of the previous sales record of $3.42 billion in fiscal year 2007.

The mission of the Georgia Lottery Corporation is to raise revenue for education in Georgia. Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has returned over $10.1 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Prekindergarten Program. More than 1 million students have received HOPE, and more than 860,000 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.