About the program
The proposal, brought to the college system’s board of trustees by ACC Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart, would create a zero-cost tuition program for high school seniors who graduate from local school districts, and now for local homeschooled graduates, charter school graduates and those who have completed General Educational Development, or GED, as well.
The details
Eligible students could qualify for up to five years of free tuition and have three years from graduation to access these funds to complete their associate degree. If a student pursues their bachelor's degree, they may also receive an additional two years of free tuition, ACC spokesperson Sydney Pruitt said.
The program would include credit and continuing education courses, and would be paid for with funds already available within ACC’s budget in addition to state appropriations from House Bill 8, according to the release.
What they're saying
"This is the first step in transforming ACC in our region and making college more affordable," Lowery-Hart said. "When you hear from families, the No. 1 reason they're not enrolling in post-secondary institutions is because they can't afford the tuition fees. We've removed the No. 1 barrier to college completion."
For more information, visit www.austincc.edu/freetuition.
