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OCTOBER 2005

Study Reveals Americans Support Expanding Community College System to Serve More Students

By Ivette Zamora

Community colleges are highly valued and integral in American society, a new national survey of more than 1,000 adults has revealed. When informed that there are more people who would like to attend community colleges than the colleges have space for, two-thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed would support “using tax dollars to expand the system of community colleges so more students can attend, even if this means raising state taxes.” With 81 percent of people having some relationship to the nation’s more than 1,200 community colleges, these schools receive high marks from a majority of the public for providing high quality education and the opportunity for career training and advancement.

Dr. Kay McClenney, a leading expert on community colleges and advisor to the Ford Foundation’s Bridges to Opportunity Initiative said, “The public understands that by offering the opportunity for everyone to access higher education and job training, community colleges are a gateway to realizing the American dream.” The survey illustrates how the public puts a high priority on supporting community colleges, even when faced with competing state funding issues. Seventy-nine percent said that “given the limited funding and the number of other demands on tax dollars” they would nonetheless “oppose cutting back spending on community colleges” in the short-term in order to balance the state budget.

At a time when some colleges are threatened with budget cuts or are actually turning people away, most favor expanding the system rather than curtailing access to these important institutions. Only 27 percent of those surveyed would support a solution to raise tuition and fees and become more selective in whom they admit versus 67 percent who support expanding the community college system. Respondents found much to praise in community colleges, describing them as conveniently located (93 percent say this describes them very or somewhat well), providing high quality education (89 percent), providing good job training (85 percent), and affordable (82 percent). Serious challenges exist, however, because the public is largely unaware of the unprecedented demand community colleges face, with half (51 percent) believing there are enough spaces available for students who would like to attend, one-third (33 percent) saying they don’t know, and just 16 percent reporting the community colleges in their area have to turn away students.

“The big irony in this survey is the fact that the public is so supportive of community colleges, but is also very unaware about how big the challenges are that face them,” said Nancy Belden who directed the survey. While two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans are likely to agree with increasing financial support for community colleges if asked, they are yet unaware of the struggle these institutions face as they try to meet increasing demands with fewer resources. With only 40 percent of Americans aware that state taxes fund community colleges, and 15 percent having no information at all on how community colleges are funded, there is a critical need to inform the public. “Without more flexible policies and financial support from states and the federal government, community colleges will not be able to meet the growing demand for educational and career opportunity, particularly among low-income individuals for whom community colleges often offer a first entry point to higher education,” said Cyrus Driver of the Ford Foundation.#

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