RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 What Knox Achieved
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 1220-11359R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.1220-11359R2
A1 Carruthers, Celeste K.
A1 Fox, William F.
A1 Jepsen, Christopher
YR 2023
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2023/06/01/jhr.1220-11359R2.abstract
AB We examine the effect of a last-dollar “free community college” program on college credit accumulation, college completion, and medium-term labor-market outcomes. Knox Achieves pledged tuition-free community college to any Knox County, Tennessee high school graduate and served as the model for the statewide Tennessee Promise program as well as local and state initiatives across the U.S. We find that Knox Achieves eligibility led to a 24 percent higher likelihood of attaining an associate’s degree within nine years of high school, alongside positive but insignificant changes in the likelihood of attaining a bachelor’s degree, and negative but insignificant changes in in-state earnings.