What is “free” community college for adult learners?

Dear Colleagues:

Some states are moving legislation forward that would make community college free to eligible students.  Paul Fain (Free Community College Catches On in Inside HigherEd) describes the development of The Oregon Promise, free community college for Oregon residents.  Along with grants to individual students are funds to make students more successful.  Two in Oregon’s legislative movement are new state dollars for college advising ($1.5 million) and dollars devoted to helping recipients successfully reach graduation ($7 million).

Take a look.  Would The Oregon Promise work for your students?  What makes college “free” for adult learners?

Cynthia (czafft@worlded.org)

Postsecondary Completion Moderator

Comments

Thanks for sharing this, Cynthia. 

According to the proposed legislation in the House and the Senate, learners would have to be enrolled, at least half-time, in an eligible program at a community college for the first time. They must also maintain satisfactory progress in their course of study. The federal grant program would allow states and Indian tribes to apply for funding to cover up to 75 percent of in-state tuition and fees for students in programs leading to a bachelor’s or graduate degree, or in an occupational training program leading to a recognized postsecondary, career credential in an in-demand industry.

States would have to supply the remaining 25 percent of funds and commit to using research-based practices to "improve student outcomes, maintain or increase current state investments in higher education, promote alignment between the state’s secondary and postsecondary education systems, ensure that programs leading to a postsecondary credential meet certain quality criteria established by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (or other criteria determined by the state), and to use at least some of the funding on the basis of performance, rather than enrollment", according to The National Skills Coalition. 

Mike

michaelcruse74@gmail.com

 

 

Hi Mike:

I'm wondering if states may be developing several types of programs.  In this one, students must have a high school diploma or credential (in the case of Oregon, that would be a GED®).  In terms of accountability, the Oregon legislation mentions a report:

No later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit to an interim legislative committee related to education a report that summarizes the commission’s findings on the impact of the program established under this section. The report shall include: (a) Student completion rates of curricula, degrees and programs described in subsection, (3)(a)(B) of this section; (b) The amount of federal aid grants received by persons who received a grant under this section; (c) The financial impact of the program on school districts that had students receive a grant under this section; (d) The financial impact and the enrollment impact of the program on community colleges and public universities in this state; and (e) The overall success rate of the program and financial impact of the program.

I'm hoping that a colleague from Oregon can chime in and tell us more about what's happening and what it might mean for adult learners.

Cynthia