Gov. Bill Haslam’s “Tennessee Promise” would make community college free for graduating high-schoolers. (Daniel Potter/WPLN file photo)
A proposal from the governor called the Tennessee Promise meant to get more students into community colleges got a needed boost Tuesday thanks to a compromise with four-year schools.
The measure had been slow to move in committee, until a deal emerged this week to rework its effect on the Hope scholarship. The idea is to save lottery money by back-loading the scholarship, so students get most of its payout once they’re close to graduating.
That made four-year colleges nervous, for fear it would turn away freshmen who need all the financial help they can get. So the compromise cuts it by $500 instead of a thousand. In the end, Hope scholars who graduate will still get a total of $16 thousand.
The measure passed out of the House Education Committee and is next up on the calendar for the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
Currently: Initial Proposal: Amended Proposal:
Freshman $4 thousand $3 thousand $3,500
Sophomore $4 thousand $3 thousand $3,500
Junior $4 thouasnd $5 thousand $4,500
Senior $4 thousand $5 thousand $4,500