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Governor John Bel Edwards signed Senate Bill 148, also known as the MJ Foster Promise Program, which will bring education opportunities to eligible Louisiana adults.
The bill is named after former Governor Mike J. Foster who founded the state’s community college system. The MJ Foster Promise Program brings $10.5 million annual state funding to provide workforce training opportunities to Louisiana adults.
The program, sometimes referred to as “Tops for adults,” will be available to Louisiana residents 21 years or older on a first-come-first-served basis. Eligible residents must meet a family threshold of 300% of the federal poverty level or be unemployed or underemployed for six months. Eligible students will be awarded up to $3,200 per year to apply to the tuition and required fees of each award recipient enrolled full-time or an amount proportional to the hours enrolled if the recipient is enrolled part-time. The award will be capped out at $6,400 per student.
The program will provide financial support for adults to earn credentials that align with high-demand jobs in industry sectors such as construction, healthcare, and information technology. Credentials will be earned through short-term workforce training as well as more traditional academic degree programs that are no longer than 60 credit hours. The program is only available for three years. These opportunities will provide eligible residents with financial support that may not have been available previously.
The MJ Foster Promise Program will be administered by the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) at the Board of Regents. The program will be available starting in July 2022.
