Jessica Blake

D and F grades will be replaced with “no credit” and will not affect students’ GPAs. University leaders say it will raise retention rates; critics say it may lower academic rigor and lead to grade inflation.

The workforce development scholarship helps students get the education and training they need to meet state workforce needs. Demand for the scholarships has been higher than expected.

A new study found 86 percent of faculty and staff say there’s a need for new skills-based learning models, but only 22 percent of their institutions had implemented them.

A recent report shows a surge in enrollment across Maine Community College System campuses from 2022 to 2023 and credits the state’s Free College Scholarship program.