Obama proposes two years of free community college

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he would offer a proposal in his State of the Union speech that would make two years of community college free for anyone willing to work for it. Obama said in a video message released by the White House that in a visit to Tennessee on Friday he would announce the program to make community college accessible for everyone. Under the proposal, students who attend at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA while in college, and make steady progress toward completing their programs would have their tuition eliminated. The White House said the program would be taken in partnership with states and was inspired by new programs in Tennessee and Chicago. If all states participate, an estimated 9 million students could benefit. A full-time community college student could save an average of $3,800 in tuition a year. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)