The Maine Legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee recently voted to terminate the state's free college program, which has been beneficial for community college students since its 2022 inception. Despite initial bipartisan support and a proposal from Governor Janet Mills to make it permanent, budget constraints have led to this decision. While $20 million will still be allocated over two years to help current participants, the eventual discontinuation of the program has raised concerns among community college leaders regarding future enrollment and student support. Maine faces unpredictable federal funding and a challenging budget year, influencing this outcome.
The Maine Legislature's budget committee has moved to end the free college program initiated by Governor Mills, disappointing many community college leaders and students.
The budget-writing committee's proposal would allocate $20 million to assist current community college students before phasing out the successful free college initiative.
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