Proposal hopes to support low-income students

State lawmakers are considering a bill to create a tuition grant program for students in two-year, tribal and community colleges who feel the weight of rising costs in higher education.

“In my family, the idea of college wasn’t even a part of our vocabulary,” said House Bill 185 sponsor, Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula.

Morigeau, who grew up in Ronan, said the bill gives students hope that, “even if you are struggling, you can further your education and it’s not just for the wealthy.”

The Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee heard the proposal known as the Montana Promise Act on Wednesday.

The act would establish a grant program to reduce or eliminate tuition costs for students attending community and tribal colleges or two-year institutions on a need-basis. The Board of Regents would administer the program.

Jordan Thompson with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes said students attending two-year programs often have fewer resources since many scholarships or grants are limited to four-year degrees.

“We have a problem with students going to school hungry and who are even homeless,” Thompson said.

Morigeau said it would be a “last dollar” effort. Students would have to apply to all federal and state aid grants before applying for a grant through the Montana Promise Act.

He said from there, the grant’s funding would fill the gaps between the cost of tuition and total cost of attending college — such as textbooks, housing and food.

Andy Bixler with the Montana Associated Students said the bill would support “those who have tapped out other sources of funding for school.”

He said being able to graduate relatively debt-free is crucial in someone’s decision of whether to move on to higher education.

“Sometimes, the difference of being able to attend and not being able to attend is a few hundred dollars,” Bixler said during Wednesday’s hearing.

Morigeau said the bill is designed to support the state’s economy by building a trained local workforce.

“It addresses an immediate need to fill the roughly 6,500 vacant jobs in Montana,” he said.

He said that includes fields like construction and health care.

The Associated Press reports roughly 120,000 Montana residents will retire in the next 10 years. That number outpaces the 80,000 to 90,000 new workers expected to enter the labor market in the coming decade.

The request for the grant program comes as legislators are trying to balance a budget shortfall.

Morigeau initially asked for $2 million for the program, but changed the request to $1. He said he’s more concerned about creating the policy this legislative session rather than immediately funding the program.

Ron Muffick, the director of student affairs for the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education, said while Montana has two need-based tuition assistance programs, neither were funded in the last legislative session.

He said the “Best and Brightest” merit scholarship still exists, which is based on a student’s need and merit. However, he said that funding has been chipped away at in former sessions.

If House Bill 185 is approved, students awarded the grant could receive funding for two years and would be capped at 60 credit hours. They would have to maintain a 2.7 grade point average and contribute a minimum of eight hours of community service to hold onto the grant.

No one testified against the bill Wednesday, but committee member Rep. Daniel Salomon, R-Ronan, questioned whether specifying where the money would go would limit the Board of Regents’ ability to help all Montana students.

“The intent is not to take money from other students,” Morigeau said in response. Instead, he said it’s to help the students with the most need.

“The more money you put into it, the more people you help,” he said.