Despite a broad potential scope, “MassReconnect” program is expected to start out small, helping around 8,000 students in its first year. But Healey presented it as part of her administration’s broader reinvestment in public higher education, after years of flat or declining state support.
    • Puzzle_Sluts_4Ever@lemmy.world
      6·
      1 year ago

      Because the vast majority of people with the time to go to college (customers) are 18-24

      Any time you see something like this: lobbyists were involved

      • Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        2·
        1 year ago

        It’s unfortunate but at least it’s a step forward. Who knows maybe in a couple years the people can vote to just have it free for all ages.

    • Pistcow@lemm.ee
      3·
      1 year ago

      Be like me where my parents made too much but wouldn’t support me so I had to wait until 25 to get my AA because of the bulkshit fafsa income rules.

    • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
      1·
      1 year ago

      There is a bill in the works called the CHERISH Act in Massachusetts that would allow all residents to graduate community college debt-free (note not actually free just support people enough they don’t go into debt).

      Mass Reconnect (the program in the article) was created from 20 million dollars taken from the new Mass millionaires’ tax. CHERISH is estimated to cost about 500 million (a great investment but definitely a scale of magnitude larger)

      I think what’s crazy about CHERISH is that it would raise state investment in each student just to the level seen in 2001. Crazy how much even states like Mass have cut education funding in the last 20 years.

  • Mr_Pap_Shmear@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    So I only know the term “community college” from community. But i just always assumed since they are public that they would be free? Like what else makes them communal?

    • Impulsivedoorholder@reddthat.com
      4·
      1 year ago

      So the community colleges in America are basically just for individuals that can’t afford a university or can qualify to get into a university.

      But generally it all costs money and you’ll end up with student loans. This state had passed a “millionaires tax” and so far they have now made community college free and gave all students in the state free school lunches, cuz we also charge kids to eat at our public schools.

    • drcabbage@lemmy.ml
      2·
      1 year ago

      Community college is usually much cheaper than traditional 4 year college. They are only 2 years and you work towards an associate’s degree instead of a bachelor’s degree.

      I went to a community college before going to a 4 year so I could accomplish all the core credit classes for cheaper and then transfer them to a 4 year.

  • Phegan@lemmy.world
    2·
    1 year ago

    The people’s Republic of Massachusetts strikes again.

    Context. I have lived in Massachusetts my entire life and I am very happy with the direction of the state.

  • Melkath@kbin.social
    2·
    1 year ago

    So they acknowledge that education should be free, but they also insist on saddling the youngest with life destroying debt.

    Jesus christ…

    • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
      6·
      1 year ago

      Yup.

      On the education side, Healey is proposing to use the surtax money to pay for $100 million in child care grants to providers, $140 million in higher education capital funding, the $20 million free community college program the governor outlined earlier Wednesday, a $93 million expansion of a state scholarship program, a $59 million effort to stabilize tuition and fees at UMass and other public higher education institutions, and more.