America's College Promise Act of 2018

America's College Promise Act of 2018

This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states and Indian tribes to waive tuition and fees at community colleges. To receive a grant, states and Indian tribes must agree to waive tuition and fees at all their community colleges and for all eligible students.

The bill appropriates $1.5 billion in FY2019, an increasing annual amount through FY2027, and $15.7 billion for FY2028 and each succeeding fiscal year for grants under this community college program.

This bill also requires ED to award grants to four-year historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to waive or reduce tuition and fees for up to 60 credits for low-income students.

HBCUs and MSIs that participate must: (1) enroll a student body that contains at least 35% low-income students; (2) maintain or adopt reforms and practices to improve completion rates and student outcomes; (3) set performance goals; and (4) execute an articulation agreement with community colleges, if accepting transfer students.

It appropriates $61 million for FY2019, an increasing annual amount through FY2027, and $1.6 billion for FY2028 and each succeeding fiscal year for grants under this HBCU/MSI program.