By Council President Shannon G. Hardin has commended Columbus State Community College for introducing its proposed ballot issue to expand the Columbus Promise program. The proposal would bring tuition-free education to high school graduates across Franklin County, creating more opportunities for residents to prepare for good-paying jobs.
The proposal would also reduce tuition rates for all Franklin County residents and enable other investments in programs to prepare students for high-wage, high-growth jobs.
“Five years ago, I announced the Columbus Promise, which allows Columbus City Schools graduates to go to Columbus State for free. We knew that we were bringing good jobs to Central Ohio, but unless kids raised in Columbus neighborhoods could get the skills and education to fill them, then our region’s growth would leave longtime residents and families behind.
What began as an ambitious pilot to show what’s possible when we invest in people has proven to produce significant gains in college-going and college success. We always dreamed we’d find a way to scale it up to all our young people across school districts.
Now the Columbus State Board of Trustees is considering a visionary step in making that dream a reality: asking voters to sustain the program in perpetuity and expand it to all recent high school graduates in Franklin County.
That means more of our children can build their lives and careers right here in Central Ohio, earning credentials that lead to family-sustaining wages. It means a stronger workforce in Central Ohio, so our employers can grow and compete. And it means young people’s potential won’t be constrained by their ZIP code or family circumstances.”
The Columbus Promise is a community initiative that currently makes college more accessible for Columbus City Schools graduates. Led by the City of Columbus, Columbus City Schools, I Know I Can and Columbus State Community College, the program removes the barrier of tuition so more students can pursue college, career success, and brighter futures.
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