It’s time for free community college for students in Washington state. Here’s why

I have worked in the community college system for over 35 years and have seen firsthand the life-changing effects that attending our state’s colleges have had for so many in our community. It is a vital step to advancing their careers, gaining financial stability, and has created a gateway for endless opportunities. However, the ever-rising cost of college tuition is creating a barrier too high for entry.

This is particularly true for the Latino community. Research done last year by the Washington Post found alarming declines in the rates of Latinos being able to attend college. This has only worsened with the continued increases in the cost of housing and food.

These runway costs are why the recent executive action by the Biden Administration to cancel between $10,000 and $20,000 in student debt for the most in need is a step in the right direction. It will help millions of students who have graduated, but it will not fix the broader problem — the increasing cost of college tuition.

Here is the truth for our communities, even after President Biden’s student loan debt relief and pause in payments: attaining higher education is barely within reach to begin with. And with costs going up every year, more and more people, especially in the Latino community, are simply not going to be able to afford to go to college.

Even though Congress also passed (and the president signed into law) the Inflation Reduction Act this summer, which contains many good things — from prescription drug reform to the largest-ever investment in fighting climate change — one proposal that ultimately wasn’t included was the Democrats’ plan for tuition-free community college.

With federal action now stalled on the issue, it is vital that our leaders here at the state level step up and advance solutions to the skyrocketing cost of college.

Many states across the country currently offer free community college. It is a proven policy with proven results. Free community college will not only give more students across the state access to higher education, it will help the state economically. It is a win-win. Governor Inslee and legislators in Olympia should advance legislation in the next legislative session to get it done.

In states that already have free college tuition, the programs have proved effective in helping mitigate the current inequities in higher education — and society — by increasing college enrollment, lowering dependence on student loan debt and improving school completion rates, especially among students of color and lower-income students who are often the first in their family to attend college.

And let’s be clear: Free community college is not only good for students; it is also good for our economy. If students are able to graduate from college without mountains of debt, they will have more money to put back into our state’s economy. Additionally, students who are able to get a college degree often earn more than those who are not able to attend college. So, more college graduates will mean a bigger tax base.

The facts are clear: free community college is a win for students and a win for our state. In this moment of great economic uncertainty, and with the price of college going up every year, students — and our state’s economy — cannot afford another year of inaction.

It is time for Olympia to finally act on this win-win for our state.

Bernal Baca is the Executive Director of Mi Centro in Tacoma, a nonprofit providing social, cultural and educational services to the greater Pierce County Latino Community.