Lawmakers are moving forward a bill that would allow hundreds of low-income Hawaii students to attend college for free.
The Hawaii Promise scholarship program, as introduced in several bills, would provide state aid to eligible students with unmet need to pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation costs not already covered by federal grants, state aid and private scholarships.
One version of the bill requests a $13.5 million appropriation to cover costs for students at any University of Hawaii campus. Another version requests $2.5 million to cover costs only for students attending public community college.
One of the proposals, Senate Bill 1162, introduced by state Sen. Kai Kahele, D-Hilo, cleared a second House reading Friday and has been referred to the House finance committee. Its companion, House Bill 1594, also passed a second reading Friday and was referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
“I’m optimistic,” Kahele said Monday, adding whether the community college bill gets funded, or the bill to fund unmet need at all campuses, is contingent on available funding. “The Hawaii Promise bill, for me, brings about the broader issue of higher education in Hawaii. It’s no secret higher education leads to better jobs, higher income and higher quality of living so that’s important.”
Education leaders say the Big Island’s need for the program is great: At Hawaii Community College, for example, 64 percent of students qualify for the Federal Pell Grant Program, higher than anywhere else in the state, Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas previously said. Pell Grants are awarded to economically disadvantaged students.
About 116 HCC students had some sort of unmet need in the 2015-16 school year, averaging $368 each — the gap amount that would be covered by Hawaii’s Promise. Statewide, unmet need averaged $295 per student that year.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo said earlier this month it predicts awarding close to $50 million in financial aid next year, more than it has ever awarded before.
Kahele said Hawaii Promise also could help persuade island students to attend college in the state. He said it also could help boost enrollment at UH campuses, most of which have reported declining enrollment.
Some Hawaii students opt to attend out-of-state colleges because they’re ultimately cheaper due to undergraduate tuition exchange partnerships, Kahele said. A report released last week showed more students in Hawaii enrolled in college last year, but only 35 percent chose to attend college in state, down from 37 percent in 2014.
“Our duty is to provide accessible and affordable education to the residents of Hawaii,” Kahele said. “And when they’re not able to attend our state institutions that are publicly funded, I have a problem.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
