The director of the Wisconsin Covenant program acknowledged Monday sheâ??s heard from “a lot of parents” who believed it would give their children a free ride to college, but insisted that was never the intent. Gov. Jim Doyle proposed the Covenant in 2006 to motivate students to attend college and help them afford it. He promised “the neediest families will receive grants to pay the costs of education” and others would receive a mix of loans, grants and work study opportunities. Sharon Billings, who runs a service with her husband that helps parents plan for their childrenâ??s higher education, testified Monday that sheâ??s heard from many parents upset about the size of the state grants. The “word on the street” was that students would get a full ride for fulfilling the Covenant requirements of a B average and good citizenship during high school, Billings said. Covenant Director Shannon Loredo responded that she had heard from a lot of parents with similar comments, but the Covenant “was never intended to be the only piece.”
Office of Strategic Communication