Career-Technical Tuition Aid Falters Over Money Issues

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A plan to pay community college tuition for some Mississippi students has died, with a state Senate negotiator saying lawmakers felt the state couldn’t afford the expense.

House Bill 405, backed by Gov. Phil Bryant, would have provided up to $1 million to pay for students to take classes in certain career and technical study areas.

Sen. Josh Harkins, a Flowood Republican, says lawmakers couldn’t agree on the money to fund the program.

The program would have provided aid that would have filled any gap after students had applied for federal, state and college scholarships. Bryant originally proposed $7 million in spending.

About 30 Mississippi counties already guarantee free community college tuition using such last-dollar scholarships to any student who graduates from high school with a C average.

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