136th General Assembly: FY26 & FY27 – Policy Agenda
Making Higher Education a Better Value for Ohio’s Students and Employers
The OACC agenda addresses one question: “What policies and funding changes will make community colleges a better investment for Ohio students and employers?”
Even though we already offer the best higher education value for Ohio students, community colleges want to enhance our ability to meet the state’s current and future workforce needs. With easier enrollment, increased career-connected education and faster pathways, more Ohioans can get the skills they need and into the career they seek with less time spent and little or no debt.
Easier Student Enrollment
- Create a Direct Admission pilot, so high school students know their college options before they graduate and can apply without having to track down their academic records.
- Further expand CCP flexibility so more students can participate in certain courses, even if they are not yet ready for college level English or math so that local capacity constraints can be addressed.
- Create a pilot program for community colleges and state agencies or increase need-based aid funding to help Ohioans on government assistance get on career pathways into the workforce.
Increased Career-Connected Education and Operations
- Increase funding for in-demand programming through the Talent Ready Grant & RAPIDS programs.
- Maintain SSI funding with current performance requirements, to continue to encourage community colleges to increase student success and credential completion.
- Allow community college trustees to raise tuition by no more than $10 per credit hour in each year of the biennium, so they can keep up with inflation.
- Streamline duplicative regulatory reporting so community colleges can stay accountable and also devote more time to student success.
Faster Pathways from College to Career
- Create a pilot that better connects Ohio’s secondary education providers and community colleges to create a faster pathway for students to complete an in-demand associate degree or credential.
- Fund grants for industry partnerships and community colleges to develop and align 1-year certificates in in-demand technologies and industries so students can get hired faster and continue their education while being employed.
Previous Policy Priorities: