The Massachusetts State Senate has unveiled a proposal for free community college tuition as part of the 2025 state budget.

 

This proposal would expand on last year’s MassReconnect Plan, extending free tuition to all Massachusetts residents to boost the state’s workforce and expand educational opportunities for all as soon as this fall.

 

The new program is called MassEducate and would invest more than $75 million in new spending from the fiscal year 2025 budget to cover tuition and fees for all community college students. It would also offer a 1,200 stipend for books and supplies and other fees for students who make 125 percent or less of the state median income.

 

22News asked administrators at Holyoke Community College what costs are left over in these types of funding models, and they said pretty much all that is left is housing and transportation, but for the latter, the state has baked in some help for low-income students, or those experiencing hardships.

 

“It removes the stress and the worry of maybe having to use loan dollars to pay for tuition and fees and books and supplies. Now students can use some of that to cover living expenses maybe take a few more classes or work a little bit less,” said Mark Hudgik, Interim Dean of Strategic Recruitment Initiatives.

 

Read more at wpri.com.