This week I attended a press conference sponsored by the Iowa Association of Community College Presidents. This organization commissioned a study by the Strategic Economics Group to determine the economic impact of current state policy that allows high school students to enroll and receive credit for community college courses.
The study shows that in 2005 (latest information available), 27,331 Iowa high school students participated in classes at community colleges and received a total of 142,140 credits in college-level courses. This is the equivalent of 4,738 full-time students for the community colleges, with a cost to the state of $9.8 million. However, the study goes on to estimate that because the students took the coursework while still in high school, the state saved a total of $21.7 million in future state general aid assistance which would have been spent if the student had taken the courses while in college. It was also estimated that this program saved the students’ parents a total of $30.7 million in college related expenses.
Locally, Ankeny high school students will access approximately 8,000 credits at DMACC in the 2007-08 school year. Not only is this a great bargain for parents, the study shows it is a good investment for taxpayers as well.
Considering the critical role of community colleges in Iowa’s education system, I was very disappointed to see the Governor’s budget proposal to increase funding to community colleges by $3.5 million which is dramatically less than the $14.9 million they requested. This is in contrast to his proposal of an additional $50 million for the Regents’ institutions, as well as a $75 million increase for K-12 education. (Although it is not the topic of this article, it is also noteworthy that the Governor proposed no increase for the private college institutions’ Tuition Grant Program.)
In addition to educating traditional students, community colleges play a huge role in educating non-traditional students, as well as retraining workers who have been displaced or who want to change careers. Community colleges also play a vital role in providing technical education for the large workforce shortages expected in a few years due to the retirement of baby boomers.
Funding in the Governor’s budget fails to appropriate the money where growth is occurring in education. While enrollment at community colleges has grown over 20% during the last seven years, the number of students in K-12 education is declining, and enrollment at the Regents’ institutions is essentially holding steady.
For these reasons it makes no sense to slight the community colleges in this budget year. To be fair, all educational institutions fared well last year. But because of the huge increase in spending last year, the Democrat majority has correctly determined they intend to tighten their budget belt this year. However, there is no reason all categories of educational institutions should not receive equal increases with the resources that are available.
As always, please contact me in any of the following ways:
E-mail: carmine.boal@legis.state.ia.us
www.voteboal.com
Home Address: 3301 SW Timber Green Road, Ankeny 50023
Home Phone: 964-3335