This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
You know, anybody who wants to continue their education after high school ought to have the chance to do that right here in Maine.
To make sure that more people have a chance to do that, my administration has been working to make transitions from high school to community college to the University System and to a rewarding career as seamless as possible in our state.
Over the past five-and-a-half years, we've provided significant funding to upgrade equipment and facilities in our CTEs, getting high school students to explore careers before they graduate.
We've made community college free, and we've kept tuition low at the University of Maine System to encourage students to pursue those careers.
We've expanded scholarships and student debt relief programs so that finances shouldn't be a barrier or a burden when it comes to getting an education in Maine.
And the Maine Department of Education operates the most generous early college program in the nation, allowing more than 10,000 high school students to take courses for credit through the community college or the university at no cost to students and families.
Thanks to these investments, thousands of young people in our state are graduating from high school and getting a high-quality postsecondary education at little or no cost.
I want to see more students move seamlessly between our higher education systems because the more easily people are able to transfer, the more opportunities will be available to them. And the more opportunities available to them, the more likely they are to find one that works for them. One that leads to a good-paying job and a rewarding career. Isn't that what we all want for our students?
Recently, I saw a national survey of students that found 83% of community college students intended to transfer to a four-year institution after they graduate, but only 32% did. The report found that while colleges and universities have worked hard to improve the transferring process, it's still hard for many students to navigate.
While the Community College System is the largest source of transfer students to the University of Maine System, in the last academic year, only about 700 community college students transferred to the University of Maine campuses. Seven hundred transfers out of thousands of students enrolled in the Maine Community College System.
Well, that's going to change. A new partnership between the community colleges and the University of Maine system to guarantee admission, reducing paperwork and making seamless the transfer of credits, along with a transfer agreement the Community College System signed with six Maine private colleges recently, will strengthen the pipeline of graduates moving from two-year to four-year programs in Maine.
Now, Maine graduates from seven community colleges across our state will know that they can attend the University of Maine System without wondering if your credits are transferable, without wondering if your application will be accepted, without wondering if you filled out the correct forms. Without wondering if you can continue your education in Maine. You can and you should, because a four-year degree and a rewarding career are waiting for you right here at home.
I want to thank Chancellor Malloy and President Daigler for working with my administration to ensure that every person in Maine can access and afford a high-quality education.
I'm excited to see how this new partnership encourages people to study and stay here in Maine.
This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.