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Committee advances amendment to College Now agreement to extend and reallocate ARPA funds
Summary
College Now presented an amendment to extend timelines and reallocate ARPA funds between completion scholarships and a debt repayment program; presenters reported $1.3 million in completion scholarships and about 115 students helped with institutional debt repayment to date.
College Now asked the committee to approve an amendment to a previous ARPA-funded agreement to extend program timelines and reallocate funds between completion scholarships and an institutional debt repayment program.
Bob Durham, representing College Now, said the completion scholarships target Cuyahoga County residents from households earning under $30,000 to help them finish postsecondary credentials, while the debt repayment program pays institutional debts that keep students from re-enrolling. Durham said the debt-repayment portion operates more slowly than expected — last year 46 students used the program, requiring roughly $46,000 — and the amendment would extend timelines and allow shifting some funds to completion scholarships where the funds are likely to have higher near-term impact.
Maggie McGrath of College Now said the program has awarded roughly $1,300,000 in completion scholarships and that, across the programs, more than 200 students were supported in the most recent academic year. Committee members praised the program’s results and approved moving the amendment to the full Council for final action.
What happens next: the amendment will proceed to the full Council for additional readings and potential approval.
