Latest news with #AnnKelley
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
New Missouri Law Provides Free Tuition For Career, Technical Education
The Missouri General Assembly has passed a bill, recently signed into law by the governor, that will ... More pay eligible high school graduates' tuition for career and technical certificate programs. Missouri has passed a new law that authorizes the payment of tuition for high school graduates wanting to pursue career and technical education rather than attend college. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 150, a multi-component higher education bill that contains the new provision, on July 9. The bill establishing the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program" passed both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly with strong bipartisan support. The idea to cover career-certificate tuition along with required fees and the cost of books was modeled on Missouri's highly popular A+ Program, which pays for two years of public community college for students pursuing associate's degrees. 'This will increase (the workforce) astronomically,' said state Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar who filed the bill in the Missouri House of Representatives. 'And it's great for the kids who are in those career tech programs. It gives them another avenue to make themselves better.' The eligibility requirements follow those established for the A+ Program. To qualify, students must graduate high school with at least a 2.5 GPA, maintain a 95% or higher attendance rate, complete 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and demonstrate proficiency in the Algebra I end-of-course exam. According to the law, which was sponsored by Senator Jill Carter (R-Granby) in the Missouri Senate, the new tuition benefit becomes effective for the 2026-2027 school year. 'Currently a student who wants to obtain a certificate or license right out of high school… must pay for these out of pocket because the courses are too short to qualify for the A+ reimbursement program and are not Pell eligible,' Kelley said in a committee hearing on the bill in February. 'These students are typically ones who are not interested in going to a two-year or four-year school.' Eligible programs for the tuition benefit are those where the required length for completion does not exceed 60 credit hours or their equivalent and 'results in the award of a non-graduate-level certificate or other industry-recognized credential.' Examples of such certificate programs listed in the new law are: The bill also establishes a fund managed by the State Treasurer's Office to pay for the student grants. Funding would need to be appropriated annually by the Missouri General assembly, but the fund will also accept donations. The state has estimated that the new program will cost up to $2.1 million in Fiscal Year 2027 and $3.3 million the following year. The legislation had widespread support from groups such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Missouri National Education Association. Missouri Chamber of Commerce Manager of Governmental Affairs Cade Tremain said the bill would 'strengthen the public workforce, as well as strengthen the existing programs we already have.' Governor Kehoe had also expressed support for career and technical education in his January State of the State speech, in which he called for enhancements to Missouri's career and technical education programs.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri lawmakers create pathway for free career-tech education
Rep. Ann Kelley, R-Lamar speaks at a House Children and Family committee hearing on foster kids' benefits Jan. 22, 2025 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications). Missouri high school graduates may soon be able to attend career-certificate programs for free after state lawmakers passed a bill creating a reimbursement process for career and technical education. The legislation now awaits Gov. Mike Kehoe's signature or veto. 'This will increase (the workforce) astronomically,' said state Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar. 'And it's great for the kids who are in those career tech programs. It gives them another avenue to make themselves better.' Kelley, who filed the bill in the House, told The Independent that she got the idea for the legislation after talking to a student. He was eligible for the state's A+ Program, which pays for two years of public community college, and he wanted to use the funds to train for his commercial driver's license. But his goal of operating a dump truck business was derailed when he realized that the state's program wouldn't cover the type of education he needed. So Kelley proposed a new program — one with eligibility requirements mirroring the A+ Program but to fund career-certificate programs. To qualify, students will need to graduate high school with at least a 2.5 GPA, at least 95% attendance rate, 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and achieve proficiency in the Algebra I end-of-course exam. The Missouri Senate added another path to eligibility, opening the door to students with high school career-tech certificates. 'Currently a student who wants to obtain a certificate or license right out of high school… must pay for these out of pocket because the courses are too short to qualify for the A+ reimbursement program and are not Pell eligible,' Kelley said in a committee hearing in February. 'These students are typically ones who are not interested in going to a two-year or four-year school.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some students use the state's Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant to pay for training and licensing, but the program requires participants to be at least 25 years old. Some students take jobs outside their career path to pass the time and avoid shelling out thousands for their certificate, Kelley said, but this legislation seeks to 'fill the gap.' To pay for the grants, the bill sets up a fund managed by the State Treasurer's Office. Funding would have to be appropriated annually by the state's general assembly, though the fund would also be open for donations. The state estimates a cost of up to $3.3 mil in 2028, according to a fiscal note. Kelley is 'positive' that Kehoe will sign the bill given his vocal support for career-tech initiatives. In his inaugural State of the State speech in January, Kehoe placed an emphasis on career and technical education and called for a work group to bolster CTE programs. The legislation has also generated support from advocacy groups. In committee, lobbyists from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Missouri National Education Association spoke in favor of the idea. 'Skilled technical talent is a major asset to Missouri employers across all industries,' the chamber of commerce's lobbyist Cade Tremain said in a hearing in February. The legislation received wide support, drawing just two 'no' votes in the House and one in the Senate. It ultimately passed as part of a large higher education package with bipartisan support.
