Harris celebrates massive 21st Century Scholar enrollment growth after passage of his 2023 bill to make enrollment automatic

Today (Oct. 31), the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) announced that because of 2023 legislation authored by Rep. Earl Harris (D-East Chicago), 21st Century Scholar enrollment has more than doubled for the program’s 2027 and 2028 cohorts. 

In the 2028 cohort, more than 50,000 students were initially enrolled while nearly 46,000 students have been initially enrolled in the 2027 cohort. According to CHE, enrollment ranged from 16,000 to 19,000 students per cohort in the years prior to the enactment of Harris’ HEA 1449 (2023). 

Harris, who also serves as chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, released the following statement: 

“I am thrilled and thankful to learn that 21st Century Scholar program enrollment has more than doubled because of my legislation. I extend my sincere thanks to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education for their invaluable support in advancing the 21st Century Scholar program. Reducing the bureaucracy and barrier to entry for participation in 21st Century Scholars is already helping more students gain access to a high-quality college education at our excellent state universities. 

“This legislative change has allowed us to realize the ideals of the 21st Century Scholar Program even more fully – the promise that if your family is low income but you work hard at school, you can attain a debt-free college education and secure a better life for yourself and your family. As the 2027 and 2028 program cohorts move toward high school graduation and college enrollment, I can’t wait to see what these students do in their careers and in our state.    

“The success of 21st Century Scholars shows us that closing the achievement gap for low-income and minority students is possible if the state and state legislature are willing to get it done. I look forward to working on more bipartisan, commonsense education solutions for our state.”