State lawmakers were wise to put a sunset provision in legislation creating the Rhode Island Promise program, which allows qualifying students the chance to earn an associate degree from the Community College of Rhode Island tuition-free.
But what was untested locally before its launch in 2017 now has three years’ worth of data. And the results are promising enough to not only continue the program past this year’s expiration date but seriously consider expanding it in some form in the coming years to other state schools.
According to CCRI, enrollment of first-time, full-time students straight out of high school increased 136% in three years. The two-year graduation rate for these students nearly tripled, to 19%. Enrollment of minorities and students with low incomes has also risen sharply.
In a state where public education in urban areas has lagged neighbors and many businesses have long complained about an ill-equipped, local workforce, the program offers hope Rhode Island may be on a path to breaking that cycle.
Some critics have seized on the 60% retention rate of students in the program as a sign it may not be meeting expectations. While CCRI should be looking for ways to improve that, those results are better than the college’s overall retention rate. And CCRI’s program matches up well with others nationwide.
In a world where opportunities are too often provided unevenly to young people, the program shows how government can help level the playing field – and lay the groundwork for a better-educated workforce.
