Community college students in Arizona, who maintain a 2.5 grade point average would be able to go to school tuition-free for two years, under a bill set to be heard in the Arizona House.
Democratic state Rep. Reginald Bolding’s bill takes a cue from President Barack Obama’s proposal for the federal government to pay the first 75 percent of the tuition. Bolding’s bill would have the state pay the other 25 percent.
“Actually before the governor’s proposed budget, we were paying roughly about $70 million to our community colleges. What this proposal will actually costs us, right around $60 million,” Bolding said.
Bolding said students would have to initially pay tuition, to establish their grade point average. If it’s 2.5 or better, they would be reimbursed. The measure is to be heard in the Government-Higher Education and Appropriations Committees.