San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg Uses State of the City to Call for Free Community College Tuition

SAN ANTONIO -- Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Friday used his annual State of the City address to float an ambitious plan that would offer free tuition at local community colleges to all qualified Bexar County residents.

Called the "Alamo Promise," the proposal would use federal funding, public-private partnerships and scholarships to cover the cost of pursuing degrees or certifications through the Alamo Community Colleges District's five campuses.

“The Alamo Promise is simple: every student — no matter their circumstances — should be free to pursue their full potential,” Nirenberg said during his speech at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. “We all benefit when they do.”

Such a program would add San Antonio to a growing list of U.S. cities, including Seattle, Boston and Minneapolis-St. Paul, that extend free community college tuition to residents. By 2020, two of every three new jobs will require some form of post-high school education, the mayor said.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/04/12/nirenberg-uses-state-of-the-city-to-call-for-free-community-college-tuition