Yesterday, President Obama unveiled his “America’s College Promise” proposal, which would make two years of community college free for responsible students across the country.
If every state chooses to implement the President’s proposal, it could benefit about 9 million students every year, saving full-time community college students an average of $3,800 in tuition each year. The proposal would allow students to earn the first half of their bachelor’s degree, or earn the skills they need in the workforce, all at no cost to them.
The President’s proposal has received an overwhelmingly positive response — his video breaking the news has already become our best-performing Facebook post of all time, and the hashtag #FreeCommunityCollege is still trending on Twitter.
Simply put: This is a big deal.
Here’s what people are saying about it:
“We applaud the president’s proposal to make two years of community college free for students who work for it. Higher education should be a public good. To build a stronger economy, we need young people to have access to the education they need and deserve without financial hardship or lifelong debt. In a time when states are investing less in higher education, the president’s proposal will help our generation gain skills and move our economy forward.”
— Anne Johnson, Executive Director
