Proposed bill could permanently make CCRI tuition free

January 29, 2021 4:44 pm

Sam LaFrance,

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- A bill was proposed to the Rhode Island General Assembly on Friday to permanently enact the Rhode Island Promise Program.

The program, which was originally proposed by Governor Gina Raimondo in 2017, allows in-state students to receive up to two years of free tuition to CCRI.

Any student that is a part of the program must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA to continue to receive the financial aid.

On Friday, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi proposed a bill that would make the program permanent.

“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 Speaker Shekarchi.

The program would expire for students after September of 2021 without the proposed bill.

President Ruggerio had praise for the program, “Rhode Island Promise has proven itself effective, significantly improving two-year graduation rates for students.”

CCRI President Megan Hughes expressed her gratitude, “I am extremely grateful to Speaker Shekarchi and President Ruggerio for sponsoring legislation to lift the sunset on the Rhode Island Promise program. Thousands of Rhode Island’s young adults and their families now know that a college degree can become a reality.”