Compromise On Lottery Scholarship Lets Haslam’s Community College Proposal Move Forward

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