SAN ANTONIO — Free college could be the future for Bexar County students as Alamo Colleges develop a tuition-free program. It's still in the development phase, but if the plan goes through it could help thousands of students start their college career debt-free.
News of this program excited high school junior Salma Valadez. Her mother had to drop out of college because her family couldn't afford it.
"So going to college is something she really wants to see all of her children achieve," she said.
The program is still in the works, but officials tell KENS 5 they are trying to implement this after noticing the college enrollments in San Antonio are significantly lower than the rest of the country.
The program would roll out in waves. They'd first implement the free tuition for a set of targeted Bexar County schools and then continue to expand each year.
"I think that's crazy awesome," high school sophomore Adriana DeLaGarza told KENS 5 on Monday.
DeLaGarza said this program would be something she'd take advantage of. As a sibling of a current Yale College student, she has seen the dollar signs and would welcome any opportunity to see those lowered.
"Education shouldn't be something you put a price on. Education is something you're leading with your life, it shouldn't be something you have trouble getting," Delagarza said.
The big question is who will pay for this if students aren't getting the bill? Alamo Colleges officials say they're still reviewing potential funding resources but if all goes well they hope to welcome their first wave tuition-free students in 2020.