SLS 15RS-1391 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 80
BY SENATOR PETERSON
CONGRESS. Memorialize Congress to support the America's College Promise proposal.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To memorialize the Congress of the United States to support the America's College Promise
3 proposal.
4 WHEREAS, by the year 2020, thirty percent of job openings in America will require
5 some college or an associate degree; and
6 WHEREAS, currently, forty percent of college students are enrolled in more than one
7 thousand one hundred community colleges across the country that offer students affordable
8 tuition, open admission policies, and convenient locations; and
9 WHEREAS, community colleges are particularly important for students who are
10 older, working, need remedial classes, or can only attend school on a part-time basis; and
11 WHEREAS, community colleges are uniquely positioned to partner with employers
12 to create tailored training programs to meet economic needs within their communities; and
13 WHEREAS, the federal America's College Promise proposal would create a new
14 partnership with states to help waive tuition in high-quality programs for responsible
15 students, while promoting key reforms to help more students complete at least two years of
16 college; and
17 WHEREAS, under the proposal, students who attend at least half-time, maintain a
18 2.5 grade point average, and make steady progress toward completing their program will
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SLS 15RS-1391 ORIGINAL
1 have their tuition eliminated; and
2 WHEREAS, under the proposal, community colleges will be expected to offer
3 programs that either are academic programs that fully transfer to local public four-year
4 colleges and universities, or are occupational training programs with high graduation rates
5 that lead to degrees and certificates that are in demand among employers; and
6 WHEREAS, federal funding will cover three-quarters of the average cost of
7 community colleges and states that choose to participate will be expected to contribute the
8 remaining funds necessary to eliminate community college tuition for eligible students; and
9 WHEREAS, Louisiana currently funds the TOPS Tech program for certain
10 community college students and America's College Promise is a logical extension of that
11 program.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes
13 the Congress of the United States to support the America's College Promise proposal.
14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
15 to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of
16 Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States
17 Congress.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SCR 80 Original 2015 Regular Session Peterson
Memorializes Congress to support the America's College Promise proposal.
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