Legislation to provide free tuition for up to six semesters at Kentucky’s community and technical schools easily emerged from the House Budget Committee Tuesday. Funds would be available after students exhausted all other federal and state assistance. The Work Ready Scholarship Program is for students just out of high school. Kentucky Community and Technical College System President Jay Box told committee members the initiative should be of help to employers sooner. “What we expect is really meeting the needs of the workforce in that we are getting students through the pipeline quicker because it is an incentive for them to take a full load, to be a full time student,” said Box.
Box said the program would likely result in more students at community and technical schools, but operations within KCTCS could still be hindered through funding cuts. Owensboro Representative Tommy Thompson believes the program’s $13 million cost in the first year and $20 million thereafter, is a good investment. “The cost of attending two years of community college pales in comparison to the lifetime cost of food stamps,” said Thompson. “We’re going take people and make them productive citizens because of this opportunity.”
In-state students who maintain a 2.0 GPA and take at least 12 hours of classes would be eligible. Northern Kentucky Representative Addia Wuchner was hesitant but voted for the measure. “I do believe this will be a compliment to the administration’s work in workforce development," Wuchner said. "I’m not sure how that will totally unfold. My reservations are with the revenue stream that will pay for this and that’s not been fully explained here today."
House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the funds could come from a $700 million pool of money set aside by Governor Bevin to deal with ongoing pension issues.
?Committee Chair Rick Rand says representatives of Ford Motor Company and General Electric are optimistic this program will help meet workforce needs.
