Columbus State Community College is hitting pause on a proposed levy that would have expanded access to tuition-free college and lowered costs for students across Franklin County.
The college announced this week that it will no longer pursue a ballot issue in 2026 after what it described as “careful consideration.”
“While we are as committed as ever to preparing Central Ohioans for successful careers, we have decided that this isn’t the moment to move forward with this proposal,” Columbus State President David T. Harrison said in a statement.
“We appreciate that our community has many priorities, and we will continue to do our part to provide affordable, career-focused education that improves the lives of Central Ohioans.”
If approved by voters, the levy would have helped fund expanded career-focused education programs while making college more affordable for Franklin County residents. The proposal also would have created tuition-free access for all new high school graduates living in Franklin County and reduced tuition costs for other local students.
The decision doesn’t affect students currently enrolled through Columbus Promise, the tuition-free program available to graduates of Columbus City Schools. About 1,300 Columbus Promise students are currently attending Columbus State.
The college also confirmed that Columbus Promise will remain in place for students starting this fall, as well as for the Columbus City Schools Class of 2027.
After that, though, the future of the program is less certain.
Columbus State says funding has not yet been identified beyond 2027 and that it will work with elected officials, business partners, and community leaders to determine the program’s next chapter.
For now, Columbus State says its focus remains the same.
“While this initiative is not moving forward right now, we remain laser-focused on meeting our students where they are and helping them achieve their goals, debt-free,” Harrison said.
