Building Upon the Foundation of a Successful Pilot, leaders from the City of Columbus, Columbus State Community College (CSCC), Columbus City Schools (CCS), I Know I Can (IKIC), and the Columbus Partnership came together with lead private partners to announce a campaign to fund the next phase of the Columbus Promise.

“Next $25 M Phase will Continue to Bolster College Attainment and Workforce Development in the Region,” the leaders said in a statement from the Columbus City Schools.

The Columbus Promise is a groundbreaking program that allows Columbus City Schools graduates to go to college for free at Columbus State Community College, and it has dramatically impacted college access and success. Promise has been an invaluable resource in helping students at CCS overcome the challenges they face in pursuing higher education. Promise Scholars reflect the diverse backgrounds of our community: Nearly 80% are Pell-eligible, representing students from low-income families; more than 60% identify as Black or Latino; and over half are part-time students and/or the first in their families to attend college.

The first phase of the program, announced in fall 2021, lasted three years. It enrolled cohorts of graduating Columbus City Schools students into Columbus State Community College in the fall of 2022, 2023, and 2024 — more than doubling the number of CCS graduates enrolling in CSCC from an average of 313 students a year in 2021, before Promise began, to 858 students in the year 2024. As of Autumn 2024, even with most students enrolling part-time, we are proud that 42 Promise Scholars have already graduated with an associate degree, and another 120 have completed a certificate.

The program covers tuition and fees, offers a $500/semester stipend, and provides extensive wraparound academic and career support services. It was a public-private partnership, with $5 M committed by the City of Columbus and $5.6 M raised from 25+ private and philanthropic partners.

Last summer, based on an analysis by an independent third-party evaluator, The W.E. Upjohn Institute, lessons learned throughout the pilot phase, and student-centered interviews and feedback, leaders enthusiastically recommended the program continue.

Phase Two is also a public-private partnership, with three-fifths of our $25 million goal already pledged. Leaders from the City of Columbus committed $10 M, a first installment of which they expect to legislate later this year.

Promise leaders are thrilled to celebrate pledges from multiple lead donors to the campaign totaling $5.5 M: $3 M from Installed Building Products and Edwards Companies, $2 M from the Cardinal Health Foundation, and $500,000 from IGS Energy. IGS Energy and other companies are also investing in their Earn & Learn program, a paid internship program for Promise Scholars. Nearly half of the funding raised from this campaign will fund tuition, fees, and stipends for students, and the remaining portion will go towards programming for CCS students and Promise scholars.

This next phase of the program will cover the remaining costs for the initial three cohorts and fully fund an additional three cohorts into the fall of 2025, 2026, and 2027, which we expect to include at least another 2,250 students.

Phase two also aims to build on the learnings from phase one with additional investments into academic readiness and student success, especially pertaining to English and math, and career exposure. Leaders see this phase as a bridge to strategize about the long-term future of the program, which could include additional school districts, more post-secondary destinations, and other student populations.

Promise leaders, private sector leaders, and philanthropic partners have worked collectively to develop a path forward to extend and enhance the program in our community. Throughout the three-year pilot, the initiative has had profound impacts on college-going rates in Columbus, and each new cohort matched or exceeded performance across key indicators compared to prior cohorts:

About one-third of the CCS graduating class now become Promise Scholars, contributing to the District reaching a 50% college-going rate in 2023, up from 32% in 2020. That rate has held steady in 2024.

In fall 2024, despite the prior year’s national FAFSA delays, the program set a new enrollment record with 790 CCS students becoming Promise Scholars. 14 CCS high schools have more than doubled the number of graduates enrolling at Columbus State Community College after graduation.

Preliminary term-to-term persistence from the first semester to the second semester has continually improved for each new cohort, with a 15-percent increase from the 2021 Pre-Promise control group to the 2024 Promise Scholars.

• 2021 Pre-Promise control group: 65%
• 2022 Promise Scholars: 69%
• 2023 Promise Scholars: 75%
• 2024 Promise Scholars: 80%

Columbus Promise Scholars are receiving their Columbus State Credentials. Between Autumn 2022 – Autumn 2024:

• 42 Promise Scholars have graduated with an associate degree
• 120 have completed a Certificate

What the Promise Partners are saying:

“We’re bringing good jobs to Central Ohio, but unless kids raised in Columbus neighborhoods can get the education to fill them, then our region’s growth will leave longtime residents and families behind. The Columbus Promise is how everyone gets a piece of our prosperity,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon G. Hardin.

“I Know I Can is proud to play a key role in the Columbus Promise as it enters its second phase. This innovative program provides students a tuition-free education, allowing them the flexibility to explore their passions and pursue their postsecondary goals. We truly appreciate the strong sense of support and collaboration the Columbus region has shown us over the past three years,” said Katina Fullen, CEO, I Know I Can.

“We look forward to a successful fundraising campaign, ensuring that future cohorts of Columbus City Schools students can build bright futures for themselves and our community.”

“The Columbus Promise is creating transformational gains for our students, their families, and our entire community,” said Dr. David Harrison, President at Columbus State Community College.

“The continued commitment of the Promise partners and the remarkable philanthropic support of regional employers show an investment in Promise has a powerful ROI for Promise scholars, the regional workforce, and our community at large.”

“The Columbus Promise continues to be a transformative opportunity for our students, breaking down barriers to higher education and opening doors to brighter futures. As we launch Phase 2 of this groundbreaking program, I am proud to see our community unite, investing in our scholars’ success,” said Dr. Angela Chapman, Columbus City Schools Superintendent and CEO.

“The impressive progress we’ve achieved, for example, by doubling college enrollment rates, demonstrates the power of this partnership to support students academically and prepare them for tomorrow’s workforce. Phase 2 will allow us to build on this momentum, creating a stronger, more equitable future for Columbus City Schools graduates and our entire community.”

“The Columbus Promise has been a real game-changer,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther.

“It has enabled students who might not have otherwise envisioned college as a possibility to dream bigger, achieve more and pursue new opportunities.”

“I’m incredibly proud that Columbus Promise is opening doors for countless students and ensuring they have a chance to reach their full potential,” said Jerome Revish, SVP, Chief Technology Officer at Cardinal Health.

“This program is a testament of our community’s commitment to empowering students to create a more promising future.”

“Every kid in Columbus should be given the chance to succeed, and The Columbus Promise is helping many do just that by attending and thriving at Columbus State, without the worry of paying a steep tuition. Once out, they are getting good jobs that pay well and afford them a quality of life that might have been out of reach otherwise,” said Jeff Edwards, President, CEO and Chairman, Installed Building Products and CEO and President, Edwards Companies.

“As the Columbus Region continues to create more career opportunities— most recently securing Ohio’s largest-ever job-creation project with Anduril—we must also expand access to those opportunities so all residents can benefit,” said Jason Hall, President and CEO, The Columbus Partnership.

“Today, public and private sector leaders are taking the next step with Phase 2 of Columbus Promise, strengthening our commitment to ensuring more students have a pathway to higher education. That is the Columbus Way, and that is how we will shape our next chapter of success.”

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