The Georgia Lottery raised a record $1.54 billion for education in fiscal year 2026, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday, July 17. That money funds the HOPE Scholarship covering 100% of tuition for qualifying graduates at Alpharetta High, Milton High, and Cambridge High, and free Pre-K at 10 local elementary schools.
The $1,540,868,000 figure exceeded fiscal year 2025 by $69.5 million and marks the 11th consecutive year the lottery has topped $1 billion for education, according to the governor's office.
"The Georgia Lottery has generated $11.48 billion in proceeds for the HOPE Scholarship and our Pre-K Program over the last eight years," Kemp said.
Kemp also noted that HOPE has been restored to 100% tuition coverage at public Georgia colleges and universities, with the institutional fee removed.
Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin called fiscal year 2026 "an exceptionally strong year." A $983 million Mega Millions jackpot won in Newnan in November 2025 and claimed in January 2026 contributed to the record performance.
Since 1993, the lottery has returned more than $31.3 billion to the state for education. Statewide, more than 2.3 million students have received HOPE Scholarships and more than 2.2 million 4-year-olds have attended the free Pre-K program.
What HOPE covers for local graduates
Any Alpharetta or Milton student who graduates from a Georgia high school with a minimum 3.0 calculated HOPE GPA in English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language qualifies for the scholarship. For the 2025–2026 academic year, HOPE covers 100% of tuition at most University System of Georgia schools and all Technical College System of Georgia schools.
Students who hit a 3.7 HOPE GPA qualify for the higher-tier Zell Miller Scholarship, which also covers full tuition but requires a 3.3 college GPA to maintain.
One detail worth knowing: the HOPE GPA strips out elective grades and local bonus weighting, so a student's calculated HOPE GPA may differ from what appears on their transcript. Students can track their status through their GAfutures.org account.
Pre-K seats in Alpharetta and Milton
The lottery also funds Georgia's Pre-K program, which Fulton County Schools operates in 94 classrooms across 50 elementary schools. Ten of those schools serve the Alpharetta and Milton area: Alpharetta Elementary, Cogburn Woods Elementary, Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Dolvin Elementary, Hembree Springs Elementary, Manning Oaks Elementary, Medlock Bridge Elementary, Mountain Park Elementary, State Bridge Crossing Elementary, and Sweet Apple Elementary.
The program is free and open to all children who turn 4 by September 1, 2026, regardless of family income. The FCS Pre-K lottery application window for 2026–2027 closed March 3, 2026, but families can contact individual schools to check for open seats or join a waitlist. The FCS Early Childhood Department is reachable at 470-254-4574 or [email protected].
How to check HOPE eligibility
Students apply for HOPE through FAFSA or the Georgia Student Financial Aid Application at GAfutures.org before the last day of their first college semester. High school students can monitor their HOPE GPA under "My High School HOPE GPA" on the same site.
