STATE CUTS TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES

To close a $14.5 billion dollar funding gap, the state is proposing to cut nearly $7 billion from educational programs over the next 18 months. While the K-12 children will take the brunt of this attack, more than half a billion dollars will be cut from the community college system.

THIS YEAR
-$40 million cut “midyear”, effective immediately
-Delay $200 million in funds for fiscal 07-08 to be paid in September 2008, leaving schools with little money to run on until then.

NEXT YEAR
-$483.5 cut from community colleges
-This effectively eliminates space for more than 50,000 community college students.

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE HAS MADE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS CAN INDIVIDUALLY COPE WITH THE LOSS OF FUNDS

-Eliminate special education programs (as San Diego county is considering doing).
-Impose hiring freezes and eliminate full time employees in favor of more part time employees (full time teachers and staff get benefits and paid office hours, part time employees get no benefits and are only paid for the amount of time they spend in a classroom. Also, they are much easier to fire).
-Roll back hours and benefits for staff like counselors, custodians, and security.
-Eliminate or cut back programs and staff that help deaf, blind and other handicapped students with schooling.
-Raise tuition.
-Cut financial aid.
-Cut back grants and scholarships.

The Governor is confident that his budget will be passed because students, especially poor students or students with disabilities, have no way to fight back. We don’t have teams of lawyers and enormous corporate bank accounts to buy our own politicians. But we don’t have to take this! We can, and must fight this.