allows Tennessee high school graduates to attend a
competitive grant program that aims to eliminate
community college or Tennessee College of Applied
skills gaps across the state by encouraging
Technology (TCAT) free of tuition and fees. Tennessee
collaboration between education and industry. Local
Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it covers
organizations identify skills gaps, develop programs
tuition and fees not already covered by Pell grants,
to fill those gaps, and then apply for grants to help
the HOPE scholarship, or state student assistance
fund those programs. Governor Haslam’s Workforce
funds. The program also matches students with
Sub-Cabinet reviewed grant applications and
mentors who guide them through the college search
selected winners. The Tennessee Higher Education
and application process.
Commission (THEC) then provided ongoing support
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to grant recipients.138 In 2014, twelve programs from
The high school class of 2015 was the first class
across the state received LEAP Grants totaling over
eligible for Tennessee Promise. To participate,
10 million dollars.139
students had to fill out an application by November
of their senior year. More than 58,000 students
Pathways Tennessee. In 2012, Tennessee joined
(nearly 90 percent of high school seniors in the
the Pathways to Prosperity Network, a multistate
state) applied.132 During the spring of their senior
initiative led by the Harvard Graduate School of
year, participants had to attend mandatory meetings
Education and the Boston-based nonprofit Jobs for
with their mentor, fill out the Free Application for
the Future.141 The goal of the network is to ensure
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), apply to a community
that more students graduate from high school and
or technical college, and participate in community
attain a postsecondary credential that is highly
service activities by August 1.
valued in the labor market.142
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To remain eligible
for the scholarship, students must enroll full-time,
maintain continuous enrollment, complete eight
Tennessee’s entrance into the Pathways to
hours of community service per term, and maintain a
Prosperity Network led to the founding of Pathways
GPA of at least 2.0.
Tennessee, an initiative that aims to provide
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Tennessee students with rigorous academic and
In the fall 2015 semester, the first class of Tennessee
career pathways linked to economic and labor market
Promise students arrived on community and technical
needs.143 The Pathways Tennessee Framework
college campuses throughout the state. Tennessee’s
includes the following components:
13 community colleges saw a 24 percent jump in fulltime enrollment, with certain campuses seeing even
larger growth.135 The state’s 27 TCATs saw an average
enrollment increase of about 18 percent, though
this increase is likely the combined effect of the
Tennessee Promise and the Tennessee Reconnect
Program,136 Governor Haslam’s initiative to encourage
adult learners to complete postsecondary credentials.
• Active industry involvement in student
learning, starting in middle school
• Strong integration of student supports,
interventions, and counseling
• Utilization of early warning systems and
remediation strategies
• Allows students to acquire postsecondary
Program requirements for the Class of 2016 are the
credits and/or industry certifications in high
same as they were for the Class of 2015. Applications
school
were due November 2, 2015, with nearly 60,000
students applying.137 Going forward, the outcomes
of Tennessee Promise should be monitored to
ensure that scholarship recipients are completing
postsecondary credentials that lead to rewarding
careers in high-demand fields.
Tennessee LEAP. Created in 2013, the Tennessee
• Supports seamless transition from secondary
to postsecondary education institutions
• Participants have multiple entry and exit
points throughout grades 13-16
• Program completers are competitive in
Tennessee’s fastest growing employment
sectors
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Labor Education Alignment Program (LEAP) is a
40