October 8, 2021 / Modified oct 8, 2021 9:39 a.m.

Education secretary promotes free community college plan in Tucson

Biden administration says 5.5 million students would be able to go to community college without paying.

360 PCC DOWNTOWN Pima Community College Downtown Campus.
AZPM Staff

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona brought the Biden administration's pitch for its "Build Back Better" agenda to Tucson on Thursday, highlighting a provision that would make community college free for millions of Americans.

Visiting Pima Community College, Cardona touted education initiatives in the sweeping proposal that would also include universal preschool and increase the size of Pell Grants.

But a central opponent of that plan has been U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona.

The senator said she would not support the initial $3.5 trillion price tag for the proposal, which includes a range of other policies from family leave to energy efficiency standards.

Making his argument in Sinema's home state, Cardona argued the proposal would pay dividends.

"The Build Back Better agenda — we've been hearing a lot of headlines and what it is and what the topline is. We're fighting for these students to have an opportunity to go back to school," he said.

Cardona said 5.5 million students would be able to go to community college without paying.

"This is community development at its best. These students who graduate here are going back to their community," he said.

But the administration's push appeared to reach a turning point this week.

Democrats said President Joe Biden has recently discussed a smaller price tag of $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona