Dive Brief:
- The Kentucky House of Representatives approved a bill that would give students graduating from the state’s high schools, home schools or GED programs access to free community college.
- The Courier-Journal reports the Senate will now take up the bill, which is expected to cost about $20 million per year and help 15,000 to 18,000 students in the first year.
- As outlined, the program would cover the gap between tuition and other available aid for eligible students who take 12 credit hours per semester and maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher.
Dive Insight:
The “last dollar” model has become common among state proposals for free college. Students are expected to apply for financial aid and look to the state only for what the school and federal government do not cover.
There has been some opposition to the relatively low GPA requirement to qualify for the scholarship in Kentucky, but it will expand access. Beyond that, the 12 credit hour requirement will certainly be criticized by advocates of “15 to Finish” campaigns. These campaigns argue taking 12 credit hours at a time is not enough to graduate on time, and aid requirements, including at the federal level, do not make that clear to students. But mandating 15 credit hours per semester to be considered full-time could overload students.