Tennessee To Make Community College Tuition-Free

The Tennessee state legislature passed a new bill on May 10 that, if approved by Governor Bill Haslam, will expand tuition-free community college education to adults and recent high school graduates alike.

“We need to reach the working mother that went to college but didn’t complete, or the son with sons of his own who like his dad never went to college but knows that he needs to upgrade his skills,” said Haslam in his announcement of the new Tennessee Reconnect Act, according to The Tennessean.

“Tonight, I’m introducing the next step in making certain that everyone in Tennessee has the opportunity to earn their degree.”

The new bill stems from the Tennessee Promise program, which was previously implemented in the state as a means to bring free education to recent high school grads who were already enrolled in a community college program.

“Since the fall of 2015, Tennessee has provided free community college for new high school graduates,” explained Nashville Public Radio, according to NPR.

“Money for the program, known as Tennessee Promise, has come from a variety of sources, including federal Pell Grants and the state lottery.”

The recently passed bill will expand Tennessee Promise so aid recipients only need to have been a state resident for at least a year, maintain a 2.0 GPA, complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and enroll in a program at least on a part-time basis.

Governor Haslam expressed the importance of subsidized education in a statement, according to WBIR:

“In Tennessee, we’ve determined that the best jobs plan is an education plan. If we want to have jobs ready for Tennesseans, we have to make sure that Tennesseans are ready for jobs, and there is no smarter investment than increasing access to high quality education. Just as we did with Tennessee Promise, we’re making a clear statement to families: wherever you fall on life’s path, education beyond high school is critical to the Tennessee we can be. I thank the legislature, particularly the bill’s sponsors, Leader Norris and Representatives Hawk and Powers, for their partnership in this important effort and look forward to signing the bill.”

The plan for state-wide tuition-free community college will cost the state an estimated $10 million, but will save individual students an estimated $3,700 per year, according to CNN Money.

Tennessee’s lottery account will help ease the cost burden on the state.

“We don’t want cost to be an obstacle anyone has to overcome as they pursue their own generational change for themselves and their families,” said Haslam.  

Sources: CNN Money, The Tennesseean, WBIR, NPR/Photo Credit: Nathan/Flickr