A new evaluation of Ohio’s Columbus Promise program found that the tuition-free initiative doubled enrollment at its community college partner and boosted credential attainment, offering what researchers say is strong evidence that Promise programs can significantly improve college access and completion.
The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research study examined the first three years of the Columbus Promise, which provides graduates of Columbus City Schools with a tuition-free pathway to Columbus State Community College (CSCC). The program launched in 2022 as a partnership among the school district, CSCC, the City of Columbus and local business and philanthropic organizations.
Researchers found that the Promise program doubled the rate at which Columbus City Schools graduates enrolled at CSCC. Enrollment rates of district students at Columbus State were already dropping, even prior to the Covid pandemic, the report shows (see graph, below). The highest rate of the immediate pre-Covid period was in 2017, when 19.8% of graduates enrolled at CSCC. After the introduction of the Columbus Promise, the rates jumped by double digits — 10.8, 12.0 and 13.2 percentage points, respectively, for the classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024.
While Columbus Promise students who enroll at CSCC do not complete credentials at substantially higher rates than the 2017–2021 comparison group, the percentage of CCS graduates earning degrees or certificates has increased because of higher enrollment rates, according to the report.
Some differences
The researchers noted that while all demographic groups saw increases, there are some variations by subgroup and cohort:
- Black students saw the biggest enrollment increases, although their college-going rates were lower before the Columbus Promise began.
- Female students benefited more than male students, with larger increases in college enrollment.
- Students with higher high school GPAs generally saw larger gains, though students with lower GPAs also experienced significant increases in enrollment.
- Students with disabilities benefited from the program, but their enrollment gains were smaller than the overall average.
- Graduates of higher-performing high schools saw the largest impacts, although students from lower-performing schools also experienced substantial enrollment increases.
A model for other communities
The findings come as community colleges nationwide continue to rebuild enrollment following pandemic-era declines and demographic pressures. Promise programs have gained popularity nationally over the past decade as communities seek to boost college attainment and workforce development.
According to the researchers, Columbus offers an example of a relatively low-cost Promise model that other communities could replicate. Unlike some high-profile Promise initiatives that rely on large philanthropic endowments, the Columbus Promise focuses on attendance at the local community college and covers tuition after other forms of financial aid are applied.
The program also extends beyond tuition support. Students receive college and career guidance while still in high school, a stipend during college enrollment and access to academic coaching and support services. Previous evaluations found those services helped expand college access, particularly for students who may not otherwise have pursued postsecondary education.
Nine takeaways
The researchers also identify nine takeaways from the Columbus Promise and the broader tuition-free college movement. In brief:
- Promise programs don’t have to be expensive to pay off.
- Well-designed Promise programs expand college access.
- Enrollment gains translate to increases in credential and degree attainment, even if completion rates remain unchanged.
- A goal of Promise programs is to provide college access to students who would not otherwise go to college. These students tend to face more barriers, and some may struggle even with extra support in place.
- Expanding access is no guarantee of successful completion.
- Promise programs are more successful when partner colleges innovate to improve student success.
- Persistent differences by sex underscore the need for strategies that will help men.
- Overall gains in access and completion can mask different outcomes among groups.
- Dual enrollment and other methods for earning college credit while in high school may do more for completion than any post-enrollment intervention.
