TENNESSEE — South College has partnered with Metro Nashville Public Schools and the McMinn, Meigs and Polk county school systems in Tennessee to provide tuition grants to educators enrolled in its competency-based higher education programs. The partnerships include a $1,000 tuition grant per six-month term.

The new agreements add to existing relationships with school systems in Anderson, Blount, Cumberland and Loudon counties. The grants apply to educators pursuing competency-based education programs at the institution.

South College launched its competency-based education programs in October 2021. By the end of 2025, the programs had more than 2,000 enrolled students. The programs offer flexible, six-month online enrollment with no set deadlines.

Michael Patrick, vice president of competency based education and academic improvement at South College, said the partnership is especially meaningful for educators in rural Tennessee communities, where access to advanced degree programs can be limited. "The model allows students to move at their own pace, completing coursework online rather than following a traditional semester schedule," Patrick said in a podcast interview.

Patrick said the structure may offer a cost and time advantage for enrolled students. "Because of our model, I think it allows students to sometimes ultimately finish faster and more cost-effective with us than they do with other programs," he said.

The college's Doctor of Education program, also launched in 2021, is now the institution's largest program. The Doctor of Education program and the Doctor of Business Administration program each enroll more than 1,000 students.