President Obama formally announced his plan for tuition-free community college Friday, calling the blueprint a potential “game-changer” in how Americans obtain post-secondary education.
“I’m announcing an ambitious new plan to bring down the cost of community college tuition in America,” Obama said in Knoxville, Tenn. “I want to bring it down to zero. I want to make it free.”
Under Obama’s plan, students who maintain a 2.5 grade point average and are enrolled at least half-time would be eligible for the publicly-funded tuition.
Critics are already balking at the price tag, however. Earlier Friday, Obama’s aides said the proposal would cost $60 billion at the federal level over the next decade, with states on the hook for another $20 billion during those 10 years.
The initiative is likely dead on arrival on Capitol Hill, where Republicans control both chambers.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who traveled with Obama to Knoxville Friday, voiced his objections to the proposal.
“You’re always better off letting states mimic each other,” he told reporters on Air Force One.
Obama’s plan is mirrored after a program in Tennessee that is funded by the state lottery.
Still, Obama said he would send the proposal to Congress soon after his Jan. 20 State of the Union address.
“This is an American issue,” he insisted, trying to frame his plan in non-partisan terms.
