Time to look at the details of the California Community College budget as analyzed by California's Legislative Analyst's Office, (LAO) which is known for its fiscal and programmatic expertise and nonpartisan analyses of the state budget.

With all the poor economic news out there from Wall Street to Main Street, College Students pursuing their degrees should be informed about what to expect when it comes to the financing of their colleges from the California Legislature. By being informed, one can be better prepared for the coming education realities facing all students in California.

The following information is from the LAO website, and I suggest, though technical, YOU as a student or employee of a California education institution take a few moments to go through and read. There are other sections concerning other parts of the budget (link below), but here the focus is on Community Colleges.

Analysis of the 2008-09 Budget Bill: Education (link to ALL Education Sections Analysis)

California Community Colleges (6870)

California Community Colleges (CCC) provide instruction to about 1.6 million students (fall headcount enrollment) at 109 colleges operated by 72 locally governed districts throughout the state. The state’s Master Plan for Higher Education and existing statute charge the community colleges with carrying out a number of educational missions. The system offers academic and occupational programs at the lower division (freshman and sophomore) level, as well as recreational courses and precollegiate basic skills instruction. In addition, pursuant to state law, many colleges have established programs intended to promote regional economic development.

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