Woodfin Announces Plan for Free College Tuition to City Graduates
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin released details Wednesday of a plan to offer Birmingham City Schools graduates the chance to go to a public two-year or four-year school in Alabama tuition free. This follows a tweet Tuesday evening announcing the program.
Starting in 2020, any Birmingham City School student that walks across the graduation stage will have the opportunity to attend any in-state two or four year school tuition free. #BirminghamPromise
— Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) August 28, 2019
The program is part of the mayor’s Birmingham Promise initiative, a public-private partnership that began with an apprenticeship program for BCS students. Woodfin says the college tuition component is second phase and will be offered to students graduating in the class of 2020 and beyond.
Financial awards will be “last dollar,” meaning they will make up the gap left by other financial aid. Students also must live in the city of Birmingham and attend BCS from kindergarten to 12th grade to receive the full amount. Those attending fewer years will have awards prorated.
In a Facebook Live video, Woodfin says he hears from parents who are worried about paying for their children’s college education.
“I want to make sure they have the opportunity to go and they can afford to stay. This is our way of making sure our children have an opportunity,” Woodfin says.
Woodfin says the city will put up at least $10 million over five years to support the program, with additional money coming from private fundraising. Long term plans call for creating an endowment.
According to data from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, 32% of BCS graduates in 2017 went to a four-year school and 22% enrolled in a two-year college. That study did not break down attendance by public or private institution.
Photo by Sam McPherson
1960s pop star Connie Francis has died. The singer’s life was touched by tragedies
1960s pop star Connie Francis has died. The first female singer to chart a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, she sold over 40 million records before the age of 25.
Marc Maron on why it’s time for his ‘WTF’ podcast to end
Marc Maron is proud of his run as host of his podcast, WTF. And because of that, he's bringing it to a close. He wants to avoid it becoming just another show "feeding the garbage bin of content."
Virginia is for … data centers? Residents are increasingly saying no
The world's highest concentration of data centers is in Virginia. Many residents are not happy about that.
Senate approves cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid programs
The Senate voted to approve a $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television.
Gulf Coast braces for flooding as storm builds into possible tropical depression
The weather system moving across the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday was showing a greater chance of becoming a tropical depression as it moves toward the northern Gulf Coast.
White House says U.S. fentanyl overdose programs will be funded ‘in increments’
CDC staffers worry $140 million in grants could fail to reach state and local overdose programs. The White House officials say the dollars will arrive but won't say when.
