AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Community College (ACC) is looking to take a massive burden off students and families in Central Texas. ACC plans to expand its pilot program to offer free tuition to more local students.
Tiarra Lemuel told KVUE this is a deciding factor in her being able to take the next step in her education. She dreams of becoming a nurse one day.
"My grandpa, he was always sick a lot when I was little and he'd be in the hospital," Lemuel said.
The Akins Early College High School senior said after seeing how the nurses cared for her grandfather, she was inspired. Now, graduation is approaching.
"Everything is getting serious. You have to start thinking about college eventually," Lemuel said.
Tiarra recently learned about a new ACC program that could lift a big burden.
"If you're in our service area, you would not have to pay tuition and most fees," Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, the chancellor at ACC, said.
RELATED: Students and parents are frustrated by delays in hearing about federal financial aid for college
Lowery-Hart said the college is looking at offering free tuition for high school, homeschool, GED and charter school grads in the Central Texas area.
"The cost of tuition and fees was the No. 1 reason 58% of our students said they weren't enrolling – because they couldn't afford it," Lowery-Hart said.
The program would be open to the class of 2024.
Lemuel was shocked that this would even be a possibility.
"It sounded crazy. If you really want to think about it, it sounded berserk," Lemuel said.
ACC's Board of Trustees will vote on the program on March 4. Lowery-Hart said the system has funding to make this a reality.
"The state changed the funding model for community colleges, and as a result of that, ACC got an additional $7 million," Lowery-Hart said.
Lemuel said this is about more than just continuing her education.
"That's money that could be going into savings. That's money that could be going to books. That's money that could eventually it's, you know, emergency money," Lemuel said.
Even through her anxieties, she said she's excited to see what life after high school has to offer.