The state legislature’s decision to revamp funding of community colleges includes offering a new financial aid option for some low income high school students.
Blinn College trustees at their April 2nd meeting agreed to join what the state calls the “Financial Aid for Swift Transfer”, or FAST, dual credit program.
Executive vice chancellor Leighton Schubert says starting this fall, qualifying low income high school students can take dual credit courses at Blinn at no charge.
Schubert says the state’s reimbursement rate for tuition and fees will match Blinn’s costs.
Schubert says Blinn is negotiating with school districts where dual credit students attend to address the additional cost of providing computers and internet access to qualifying students taking online classes.
Chancellor Mary Hensley says Blinn could generate two new revenue streams as the result of the FAST program. One involves dual credit students completing 15 hours at Blinn. The second involves qualifying dual credit students who stay at Blinn after graduating high school, take 15 more hours as a regular student, then transfer to a qualifying four year institution.
Eligibility requirements for dual credit high school students in the FAST program includes qualifying for free or reduced priced lunches.
Click below to hear comments from the April 2, 2024 Blinn College trustees meeting.