Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has proposed an ambitious plan to get more high school graduates in the state of Tennessee to attend college. The governor proposed this plan to Tennessee lawmakers earlier this year, but it seems like the plan has been gaining traction recently. It has not only been well received by the lawmakers either, the public has seemed to react extremely well to the proposal.
Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to send high school graduates to community college for free is the main part of a bigger initiative called “Drive to 55”. “Drive to 55” is the plan that Gov. Haslam has been pushing for a long time. It is a plan to improve the state of Tennessee’s graduation rate from where it is now, 32 percent, to at least 55 percent. What Governor Bill Haslam wants from the legislators is for them to make it possible to pay the tuition for a two year college for all graduating seniors. This free college education, Governor Bill Haslam hopes, will inspire young people to do better in school.
The only problem with a plan to pay college tuition for all high school graduates is that it will be hard to pay for, but Governor Bill Haslam believes that he has found a way. Governor Haslam thinks that the best way to pay for the education is to divert some money from the states lottery. It looks like this lofty goal could soon become a reality thanks to the planning and preparation of Governor Bill Haslam and other lawmakers in Tennessee. Some states, including Florida, are considering following Tennessee’s lead and starting a similar program.