When Tennessee Gov. William Haslam proposed legislation in February aimed at offering a free community college education for all graduating high school seniors in his state, Darius Green was quick to take notice.
Like many of the students in his class, Green, 16, a high school junior, was planning to enroll at the University of Tennessee, the state’s flagship institution.
But in the wake of the Tennessee legislature’s decision to pass the Tennessee Promise — a scholarship that will provide a tuition waiver for students to attend the state’s community and technical colleges beginning in fall 2015 — Green has reconsidered.
“You know how much money my family will be able to save over time?” asks Green, who will be the first in his family to go to college when he enrolls next year. “I’ve figured out that I can go to the local community college, get my associate degree and then transfer over to UT. I think this is a good opportunity for helping to increase college enrollment.”
As the cost of a college education continues to rise, Haslam’s legislation, which was approved in April in the state legislature, has generated interest across the nation and has education experts praising the Volunteer State for encouraging students to pursue college. Experts say that the new initiative may also help bridge the racial divide in Tennessee between the number of Blacks and Latinos versus Whites who enter college after graduating high school.
“We think generally speaking, this is good for our sector,” says David Baime, senior vice president for government relations and research for the American Association of Community Colleges. “It’s really an exciting development.”
While it’s too early to determine if other states will offer similar tuition waivers, Baime says that there has been a steady interest in the Tennessee model since it was first announced.
