Local program presenter urges council to expand Jacksonville Promise, cites $260,000 annual budget and economic gains

Dr. Charles Sheeep presented the Jacksonville Promise scholarship program to the Jacksonville City Council, describing program rules, recent budget figures and the program’s claimed local economic impact.

Sheeep told the council the Promise is a place-based, last-dollar scholarship program restricted to students who live in Morgan County and graduated from a Morgan County high school and who maintain a 2.0 GPA; recipients must apply for other aid (FAFSA) and attend Illinois College or Lincoln Land Community College for eligibility.

Sheeep said the program is funded by donors, grants and a $7,500 city line item. He said the program’s annual budget is about $260,000 and that last year it supported 99 students and had 55 newly matriculated students. He described the Promise as “last dollar” (it fills gaps after other aid) and said it requires an application from students.

Sheeep presented data the program uses to estimate local economic benefits: he said Illinois College data show 76% of students born and educated locally remain in Morgan County after graduation; he estimated each additional student remaining in the local economy brings approximately $250,000 in annual economic activity after applying a five‑times multiplier to a roughly $50,000 starting salary.

Using the program’s calculations, Sheeep estimated the current city contribution of $7,500 returns roughly $120,000 a year in additional city revenue (he combined predicted sales‑tax and income‑tax effects in his presentation). He said cumulative economic impact since the program began is “about $85,000,000” and this year’s contribution is “about $14,000,000.”

Sheeep described the program’s original goal — funding roughly the equivalent of a Pell grant (about $7,000) for years 1–2 and Pell plus 40% for years 3–4 — and said current awards are approximately $3,000 a year for the first two years and $4,200 a year for the last two, representing roughly 45% of that original target.

He urged the council to consider increasing its support, offering two options: (1) adopt a 0.3% sales tax that he said would produce enough revenue to fund four years of tuition, books and fees for Promise recipients, or (2) return a share of the revenue the program generates back to the Promise (Sheeep suggested giving the Promise half of the revenue it produces for the city each year).

Council members asked questions about program details, student outcomes and whether students would be required to stay local. Sheeep said the program does not require recipients to remain in the area by contract; rather, the program funnels aid toward students who choose to stay and attend local colleges. He said his local data show the Promise correlates with higher local retention of graduates.

No formal council action was taken; the presentation concluded with a brief question-and-answer session and an invitation for follow-up discussion and possible council consideration of funding options.