Written by Curtis Johnson
Tennessee State Representative for 68th District
Speaker Pro Tempore
Nashville, TN – Key education bills headlined action on Capitol Hill in Nashville as House Republicans voiced strong support of a new pilot program to help adults complete their degree in Tennessee’s community colleges.
As introduced, House Bill 646 establishes the Community College Reconnect Grant — a last-dollar scholarship to adults who want to return to community college and complete their associate’s degree in applied science.
Currently in Tennessee, adults account for approximately 30% of enrolled undergraduate students, which equals about 65,000 adult learners.
Legislators agree that in order to reach the state’s goal of equipping at least 55% of Tennesseans with a college degree or technical certificate by the year 2025, this bill must play an integral part in the process.
Adults who meet all of the qualifications of the potential new program will be expected to enroll in a Tennessee public community college in the 2016-2017 academic year.
Key qualifications to receive the grant include Tennessee residency for at least one year preceding the date of application for the grant and completion of at least 30 hours towards the completion of an associates of applied science degree. Grant recipients must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and enroll in at least 9 semester hours in the fall and spring semesters.
In order to fund this program, there will be a one-time expense to the lottery fund of $1.5 million. Legislators hope the pilot project will be the first step to a larger program that serves even more adults who choose to go back to school to meet their lifetime educational goals.
