Students Were Promised Free Tuition. Can Colleges Keep That Promise? - Opinion Piece

Kevin Walthers writes: The pandemic will make accessing promise programs more difficult for students. Programs need to find innovative ways to reach students and to offer additional resources. Programs relying on state funds and donors may find themselves forced to make difficult decisions about who can attend and how much assistance can be provided.  Kanter finds that most colleges are actually expanding access during the crisis. “Promise leaders are working to structure their programs for long term viability,” she says. “The commitment of community partners to college promise programs is strong and we’re seeing tremendous local creativity” in the form of local emergency grants and increased support for basic needs to help students progress.