HOW DOES OBAMA COMMUNITY PROPOSAL COMPARE WITH TENNESSEE AND CHICAGO EFFORTS?

The Obama proposal to expand community college eduction - America's College Promise - is based on one existing program in Tennessee - Tennessee Promise - and another that is to begin in the fall of 2015 in Chicago - Chicago Star Scholarship.  A summary and cross reference of each program has been assembled by the Massachusetts Community College Executive Office and is reprinted below:

	Tennessee Promise	Chicago Star Scholarship	America’s College Promise
Summary	·   Tuition as last-dollar scholarship, after all federal grants and aid (not including loans or work study) ·   Tennessee law, first cohort of students now enrolled ·   Students apply through community organizations	·     Last-dollar scholarship, after all federal and state aid applied ·     Starting Fall 2015 ·     eligible students can pursue associate degree at City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) at no cost - free tuition, fees, and books	·  Tuition for all costs up front ·  President will file legislation, discuss plan during 2015 State of the Union
Students Eligible	·   Only Entering HS Students w/ 2.0 GPA ·   Only US citizens	·     Current and future Chicago Public Schools graduates (undocumented students eligible)	·  All Students
Required by Student	·   Maintain 2.0 GPA while in college ·   Full-time enrollment (12-credit minimum/semester) ·   Community service – 8 hours per term, work with volunteer mentors from community organizations ·   Ongoing program meetings, advising ·   Apply for FAFSA first ·   Maintain Progress to completing program (same eligibility as federal aid)	·     Students must graduate from CPS in Spring 2015 or after with a 3.0 GPA ·     must show that they test college-ready in math and English via ACT COMPASS ·     Apply for FAFSA first ·     Must enroll in CCC Career Pathway	·  Maintain 2.5 GPA ·  Enrolled at least ½ time (6-credit minimum/semester) ·  Maintain Progress to completing program (same eligibility as federal aid)
Institutional Eligibility	·   All institutions that offer 2-year associate degree programs (public and private, and 4-years)	·     Only City Colleges of Chicago ·     Also encourage free dual enrollment opportunities to students as a “head start” for program	·  Only two-year community colleges ·  Eligible academic programs need to be fully transferable to public 4-years or in-demand training programs w/ high graduation rates ·  Need to commit to some type of performance-based reforms
Funding	·   Dedicated revenue source (lottery endowment)	·     CCC covers it through efficiencies and consolidation (specifically with a nursing program)	·  Federal Gov’t pays 75% of costs through federal budget, while participating states need to cover remaining 25% (as federal matching grant)
Costs/ Numbers	·   Estimated cost of $34M per year ·   Provides five consecutive semesters (fifth designed to make up for any dev. education courses) ·   Expects 25,000 students to apply each year	·     Estimated cost of $2 million in the first year ·     Provides up to three years of benefit (after federal & state aid), or until completion of associate degree ·     Expects 1000 students to enroll	·  Estimated cost of $60 billion over 10 years ·  Estimated $8 billion to CC’s nationally per year ($6B from feds, $2B from states) ·  Saves a community college student an average of $3,800 in tuition per year (national average) ·  Could benefit roughly 9 million students