Rhode Island Promise program permanently enacted

Legislation sponsored by House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio to make the Rhode Island Promise free tuition program permanent was signed into law following approval by the General Assembly.

The program, which had been set to expire with the high school graduating class of 2021, provides up to two years of free tuition for eligible graduating high school seniors who begin classes at CCRI the following fall. To benefit from the scholarship, students must be full-time students who qualify for in-state tuition, and they must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and remain on track to graduate from CCRI on time. The program was amended with this bill  (2021-H 5224A, 2021-H 0097A) to allow students with a disability more time to complete their education.

“The Promise program is an excellent example of how we can prioritize affordable college options for all Rhode Islanders. The best investment we can make to help individuals achieve their goals is to give them the access to a college education, which is the pathway to a brighter future,” said House Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick).

The bill-signing took place at CCRI’s Knight Campus in Warwick. David Mota, a CCRI graduate who benefitted from Rhode Island Promise, shared his story about what the program meant to him.

During the first two years of the Rhode Island Promise Program, between 2016 and 2018, the college-going rate increased 8 percentage points, from 59 percent to 67 percent. That data demonstrates that more Rhode Island high school graduates are taking advantage of the scholarship and are going to college.

“On behalf of the faculty, staff and Rhode Island Promise students, we are incredibly grateful to Governor McKee, Speaker Shekarchi, Senate President Ruggerio, and the members of the House and Senate for making the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship program permanent, and with it, access to higher education a reality for thousands of Rhode Island families,” said CCRI President Hughes. “Thanks to the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship program, many more Rhode Islanders are going to college, graduating, and either continuing with their education or entering the workforce with the skills and talent needed to earn a family-sustaining wage. The program is a sound investment in our state’s economic future and provides our students with the opportunity to succeed. I believe now, more than ever, Rhode Island families need the security of knowing that, no matter their economic situation, their children have a path forward to a quality degree and, with it, a brighter future.”