Dive Brief:
- A new report examines the outcomes of the Tennessee SAILS program, an initiative which allows high schools seniors to take college-level remedial math courses before entering college, a program which allowed 82% of participants to eliminate tuition on extra courses during their freshman year.
- Since 2012, the program has reduced remedial math course enrollment at state community colleges by 15%, saving families more than $64M in tuition spending in 2014-15 alone.
- The program will soon look to expand to English curriculum and provide access to adult learners. Officials project that the program will have served more than 50,000 students by the end of this academic year.
Dive Insight:
Tennessee is a national leader in developing innovative programs for college access and completion, and in addition to its Promise scholarship program, has broadened the pipeline for students to enter four-year or two-year programs at reduced costs for families.
While other states may not have financial resources dedicated to subsidizing higher education, institutions can make the case for the return on investment in stabilizing public funding for tuition assistance. There is immediate benefit to the workforce and to reducing individual debt when students are better prepared for college coursework and able to make a decent living without crushing debt after earning a degree.