Getting a college education just became a more realistic option for many low-income students in Bowie County.
This week Texarkana College President James Henry Russell announced the school will be offering economically disadvantaged high school students the chance to take up to 12 dual-credit core college courses before they finish the 12th grade.
Russell said data shows students who finish some college courses in high school have a better chance of enrolling in college and staying the course.
Each dual-credit course will be $50: That's half the normal rate for tuition. Once participating students enroll in college, Pell Grants will help them cover remaining costs, Russell said.
We live in a competitive world, a world with an evolving job market. Well-paying jobs in manufacturing and other industrial sectors that sustained those with no more than a high school diploma were once plentiful, but now they are hard to find.
Our economy is increasingly offering a choice between the low-wage service industry and jobs in tech and professional posts that offer more money but require more education. That's as true in Texarkana as anywhere else, so anything that helps our young people get more education toward a prosperous future is welcome. If it also cuts costs and helps them reduce potential student debt that's a bonus.
That just what TC's initiative will do. It's not a free ride but it will aid those who choose to take advantage of the opportunity to do so with less financial worries than they might otherwise face. We don't see how anyone can argue with that.