Gov. Janet Mills (D) is looking to make free community college a permanent fixture in Maine as part of her proposed supplemental budget.
In recent years, a pandemic-era program has allowed several classes of graduating high school seniors to attend Maine’s community colleges both tuition- and fee-free.
During the first wave of the program, approximately 6,400 students took advantage of these benefits.
Last year, lawmakers considered a bill that would have solidified this program in state law, but the measure was unanimously rejected in committee before ever making it to the chamber floor.
[RELATED: Free Community College Will Not Become a Permanent Fixture in Maine, Legislature Decides by Default]
During her State of the State Address late last month, Gov. Mills expressed her intent to “tak[e] another swing” at codifying the initiative.
Alongside her proposed supplemental budget, the governor released a document she dubbed her “Affordability Agenda,” which outlined a number of policy priorities included in her spending plan.
Featured among these objectives was the recommendation to establish an ongoing free community college program, which the Maine Community College System indicates will cost the state $10 million each year. This represents a $2.5 million decrease from the current version of the program.
According to the governor, roughly 23,000 students have participated in the pandemic-era program, 2,000 of whom have gone on to study at four-year institutions.
To be eligible under Mills’ proposal, students must have established a primary residence in Maine for at least twelve consecutive months prior to their date of admission.
Mills’ proposal would also roll back the breadth of the program, covering only the cost of tuition and leaving students responsible to pay the fees.
Access to the scholarship would extend to 150 percent of the time it takes to complete a degree, down from the 200 percent time frame students are granted now.
In other words, students would have three years to complete a two-year degree, as opposed to the four they were allotted under the program’s prior iteration.
As a “last-dollar” scholarship, students would be required to accept all available state and federal aid before the funds from this program would be applied.
“We didn’t seek out these changes,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System, “but they are a reasonable and viable way forward to ensure that Maine high school graduates can continue to have this incredible opportunity, and that Maine can remain one of the 30-plus states with a free college program.”
“It’s a matter of staying competitive, of supporting hard-working young people looking to get ahead, and investing in the development of our state’s skilled workforce,” Daigler said.
“Between these proposed changes and the overwhelming support we’ve seen across the state, we’re hopeful this will pass in the legislature and be signed by Governor Mills in time to benefit this year’s graduating seniors,” he added.
Click Here to Read MCCS’ Full Statement
In a press release shared Friday, Mills highlighted her proposal to make this program permanent during a visit to Northern Maine Community College where she met with students currently enrolled tuition-free at the institution.
“As Governor, I’ve been proud to make record investments to expand education and career training in Northern Maine, ensuring that the next generation has the skills and knowhow to keep the County strong for generations to come,” said Mills in a statement.
Click Here to Read Gov. Mills’ Full Statement
Lawmakers are currently working in committee to refine the governor’s proposed supplemental budget before sending out a final amended version to put to a vote before the House and Senate.
The Legislature is scheduled to complete its work by April 15, 2026.
