ACTIVISM
An initiative aimed at improving funding for state community colleges has won the support of the Community College Association, although CCA anticipates that a bill will soon be introduced in the Legislature that will provide even more stable funding than the initiative would bring.
CCA/CTA are looking at proposing sponsored legislation that would solidify the funding split of Proposition 98 at 89 percent for grades K-12 and 11 percent for community colleges. Proposition 98 is the legislation that guarantees a minimum annual funding or grades K-14 education in California. Enforcing the 89/11 split would provide a greater funding stream for the state’s community colleges.
More funds
“Such a proposal would bring more funds and greater funding stability to our college system,” said CCA President Ron Norton Reel. “It is likely such proposed legislation will come out of CTA’s State Council when it meets in October.”
The Community College Initiative, which has qualified for the February ballot, would change the Proposition 98 school funding formula for community colleges to guarantee an increase in student growth and it would take additional money from the state’s general fund.
CCA Board of Directors took a support position regarding the Community College Initiative over the summer because CCA members believed the initiative warrants their support, according to Reel. In doing so, the board exercised its prerogative to take a contrary position to the California Teachers Association. In June, CTA’s State Council of Education voted to oppose the initiative due to its potential impact on Proposition 98 funding as well as funding to preschool, the CSU and UC systems.
In explaining CTA’s opposition, Reel said in a recent speech, “The additional funds for the community colleges that would be generated by redefining the growth calculation using the ages of those individuals 17-25 living in California instead of the number of students attending K-12 currently provided by Proposition 98 changes the entire dynamics of who pays for education. The additional amount would have to come from the side of the budget that would find community colleges fighting against nurses, police, prison guards, firefighters, CSU and UC for those funds.”
CTA opposes initiative
CTA strongly supports additional resources for California community colleges, but believes this initiative is poorly crafted and fatally flawed, according to Dían Hasson, CTA board member representing higher education.
“In addition, the initiative sets an unprecedented four-fifths legislative vote requirement to make any changes to the proposed law,” Hasson said. “This threshold is nearly impossible to meet, and CTA has opposed these supermajority vote requirements. If there are implementation problems with the initiative, it would be very difficult to make any changes.”