Rhode Island just made community college free
by Katie Lobosco — August 4, 2017– Money.cnn.com —
Rhode Island just became the fourth state in the nation to make community college free, following examples in New York, Oregon and Tennessee.
The Promise Scholarship will cover the cost of tuition and fees at the Community College of Rhode Island for new students starting this fall — regardless of their income.
Lawmakers approved the four-year pilot program on Thursday and appropriated $2.8 million for the first year, as part of the state’s budget.
They rejected, however, a broader proposal from Governor Gina Raimondo that would have made two years free at both of the state’s public four-year colleges, as well as the community college.
The governor signed the budget bill moments after the Senate voted on Thursday, breaking a month-long impasse.