As Austin Community College officials work toward the potential launch of a free tuition program, they announced Feb. 16 that eligibility could be expanded.
What happened
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 Education Development, or GED, as well.
The board also requested the consideration of ACC employee dependents for the program, according to a news release.
Sorting out the details
If the proposal is approved by the board, eligible students could qualify for up to five years of free tuition.
Eligible students 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, said ACC spokesperson Sydney Pruitt.
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.
Also of note
ACC has not increased tuition rates in the last decade. Lowery-Hart told Community Impact in October that the college’s “affordability” is its “power.”
Quote of note
“Our community, like our country, is in a student debt crisis,” Lowery-Hart said in a news release. “That means our students are mortgaging their future and can’t afford to buy a house. We want to change that.”
What’s next
The board of trustees will take a formal vote on the pilot program in March. If approved, the proposal could go into effect in the fall.
For more information, visit www.austincc.edu/freetuition.
