Gov. Asa Hutchinson is targeting degrees in demand with a proposed grant program that would pay for two years of study in fields such as computer science and welding.
If approved by the Legislature, the Arkansas Future Grant would replace the Workforce Improvement Grant and the Higher Education Opportunities Grant, both offered through the state Department of Higher Education. The governor said those programs lack accountability and have low completion rates as a result.
"We're taking what I see as two insufficient scholarship programs and turning them into an overarching Arkansas Future Grant initiative that will be more effective, that will be more encompassing, that will be targeted and will be accompanied with mentoring programs and a commitment to stay in Arkansas," Hutchinson said.
The Arkansas Future Grant would use the $8.2 million a year in general revenue that goes toward the two existing grant programs. Maria Markham, director of the Department of Higher Education, said she did not have a firm estimate of how many students would take advantage of the new program.
The proposed program would cover tuition and mandatory fees at any public Arkansas two-year college or technical school. It would be available to students in high-demand fields of study that officials would determine regionally.
While in school, students would need to perform eight hours of community service per semester. After graduation, the program would require participants to work at least three years in Arkansas or repay the state.
Schools would be required to assign mentors to Arkansas Future Grant students to check on their progress and help them attain degrees.
Hutchinson said the new grant would be available on a first-come, first-served basis and would be available to traditional, home school and nontraditional students. There would be no grade-point average requirement.
The Higher Education Opportunities Grant is awarded based on financial need and is intended to help low-income students complete their college degrees. It has a 77 percent non-completion rate, according to a news release from the governor's office. The grants are $1,000 for full-time students and $500 for part-time students.
The Workforce Improvement Grant is a need-based grant of up to $2,000 for nontraditional students -- those at least 24 years old.
Both programs would be discontinued if the Legislature approves the Arkansas Future Grant. But students now receiving funds from those programs will not have their grants canceled, Markham said.
"We have taken some major steps forward in aligning the efforts of higher education with economic and workforce development goals for our state," she said.
In a news release, President John Hogan of National Park College in Hot Springs praised the proposed program.
"I commend Governor Hutchinson's leadership in creating a program that helps address the shortage of STEM and high-demand technical degree holders in our state," he said. "Educating people in these fields is necessary to growing new entrepreneurs and a skilled workforce for the area."
Thursday's news conference was billed as a chance for the governor to outline his education initiatives for the 2017 session, which starts Jan. 9.
A news release reiterated the governor's support for a higher-education funding model that emphasizes completed degrees over enrollment and an additional $3 million for the state's pre-kindergarten program.
The release also said the governor would like teachers pursuing degrees in computer science, literacy, pre-kindergarten, special education, science, technology, engineering or mathematics to be given priority for scholarships under the Teacher Opportunity Program. That program, also through the Higher Education Department, offers grants to Arkansas teachers and administrators.
In response to a question, the governor said he needed to learn more before forming a conclusion about a bill sponsored by Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, to allow the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act to be waived if a school district has been taken over by the state.
Cozart, who was present during the news conference, said afterward that it was one tool the state could use to turn around a struggling district.
"We're not doing something right. Is it the teachers? Is it the students? Is it the location? We've got to figure those things out," he said. "If there's a teacher not doing their job ... then we can remove them."
Metro on 12/09/2016