TICUA Policy Update

HB0738/SB0803 adds institutions accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) that have their campuses domiciled in this state as eligible institutions for the Tennessee Promise scholarship. The bill limits the availability of the scholarship at such an institution on the condition that there are no available enrollment slots in a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in the student's county of residence for the student's desired program of study.

This bill would expand TN Promise funding to 27 additional cosmetology and barber schools across the state. After four educators from representative NACCAS colleges provided testimony on how this would help their students, Representative Parkinson asked the committee to roll the bill for another week so he could refine a pending amendment. The amendment would further narrow the eligibility of the students who could use the TN Promise grant at NACCAS schools to only those TN high school graduates who had participated in dual enrollment courses in cosmetology/barbering in high school and began earning practice hours toward a Cosmetology/Barber License. The sponsor explained that if there is no availability at a TCAT upon high school graduation, those students are in danger of their practice hours expiring before a seat becomes available. Students are required to complete 1500 hours of practice to be licensed. This bill is on the subcommittee calendar again for next week.

Meanwhile, the Senate Education Committee had a full calendar of committee confirmations as well as budget hearings from ETSU, MTSU, and THEC on Wednesday afternoon. Only one bill on their agenda had implications for higher education.

SB0802/HB0841 proposed using lottery revenue (currently designated for higher education) to establish the promising futures early learning scholarship program to provide scholarships for high-quality early learning programs. After presenting the bill, Senator Massey explained that she would assign the bill to general subcommittee, meaning it would no longer be considered this session, due to other investments the Governor has pledged for early childhood funding in his FY25 budget.