Budget cuts create unprecedented stress on community colleges - by John Fensterwald
A decline of 24 percent in per-student funding over five years has led to a record decline in access to community colleges and has jeopardized the services to those students who are enrolled, an extensive study by the Public Policy Institute of California concluded.
Between 2006-07 and 2011-12, total revenue per student (in FTES or full-time equivalent, since most students attend part-time) fell from $6,700 to $5,100. Source: Impact of Budget Cuts on the California Community Colleges. (Click to enlarge)
Even though there are more potential students who should be served by community colleges, “funding shortfalls throughout the community college system have led to significant reductions in staff, considerably fewer course offerings, and severely restricted enrollment,” write the researchers of “Impact of Budget Cuts on the California Community Colleges,” which was released on Monday.
Although, the state’s 112 community colleges were protected more than four-year universities from cuts as a percentage of their budgets, they are more dependent on state revenue because fees
