Community Colleges Need Real Stimulus

Since President Obama put his American Graduation Initiative — a plan to pump $12 billion into the nation’s community colleges over the next decade — on the table, regional and national commentators have hailed the plan as a giant step forward for these important institutions.

Obama has been hailed as a visionary and a president who gets it when it comes to the importance of community colleges in the broad realm of economic development. Meanwhile, the initiative, with grant funds tied to performance — specifically with regard to graduation rates — is seen as a means to get community colleges focused on results rather than mere enrollment numbers.

That’s what the plan looks like from afar. But when one gets a little closer, it becomes clear that maybe this initiative, usually accompanied by the adjective ‘bold,’ doesn’t really deserve such a descriptor. The money certainly won’t hurt — every little bit helps at this time of severe state budget cutbacks — but it is a far cry from what these schools really need to handle the huge assignment they’ve been given: to play a large role in training the next generation of workers for emerging new business sectors.

What the Obama initiative does — quite effectively, we believe — is at least open a dialogue on community colleges, shed light on some of their unique challenges, and stimulate debate on just what can be done to effectively support these institutions moving forward.

Historically, community colleges, which have been part of the American landscape for just over a century now, have lacked state and federal support, with rare exceptions such as the original GI Bill, passed just after World War II. Perhaps the reasons for this are the role played by the colleges and the constituencies they serve.

In short, community colleges provide education for those who have few, if any, other options for obtaining a degree. They cater to mostly non-traditional students, older individuals who are balancing school, work, and family obligations. Many of these people are the first in their families to go beyond high school.

This is not what elected leaders envision when they think of ‘college,’ and perhaps that’s why community colleges have traditionally been underfunded by state and local governments, at least when compared to four-year schools. But enrollment at the nation’s community colleges is soaring, in part because of changing demographics — new waves of immigrants coming to this country — and also because of the economy and the need that many have to improve their job skills to re-enter the workforce.

This surge in enrollment, however, is juxtaposed against dramatic budget turmoil at the state level, especially here in Massachusetts, where cuts have led to budget reductions of 14% or more at area community colleges.

Which brings us to Obama’s American Graduation Initiative. It represents a dramatic increase in federal support for community colleges — 60% if averaged out over the next decade — but to say there are strings attached to the money is a huge understatement.

Indeed, most of that $12 million will be apportioned on the basis of grant applications that link money with graduation-rate performance. While this sounds admirable, it will likely coerce schools into lowering graduations standards, toughening entrance requirements, or both. The often-criticized, deeply misunderstood graduation rates may in fact climb, but at the likely expense of accessibility to higher education — which is what community colleges are all about.

While these schools will applaud Obama’s actions and gladly pursue the money, they should also press for more substantial, more meaningful, and more consistent federal support of community colleges. That’s what they really need and truly deserve.