COMMENTARY | Board of Governor Waivers let poor California community college students attend school for free. A recent report highlights a staggering rate of first-year student attrition. Is the Golden State handing out these waivers too liberally?
$480 Million – Down the Drain?
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) released a report entitled “The Hidden Costs of Community Colleges.” It highlights that in a five-year period, the State of California spent $480 million on community college students who dropped out of school after one year – sometimes less. This money benefited the students in the form of Pell grants, Cal grants and also institution-based aid, such as the California Community College Board of Governors Waiver program (BOGW).
Knee-Jerk Reaction: Some Are Just Too Dumb for College
Commenters to a San Francisco Chronicle article did not fully share the sentiment of report author Mark Schneider, who opined that “we need more systematic knowledge about what works.” Being far less charitable in their assessments, Californians point out that some folks are simply not cut out for college. Raising the bar for admission and screening those likely to fail are just a few of their suggestions.
Let Them Eat Cake. Really?
I cannot help but wonder about the call for tougher screenings and more tests. Rather, I would suggest that my fellow Golden State residents revisit the stated roles of California Community Colleges, which are to: “help you transfer to a four-year college, pursue career education programs, take remedial or ‘catch-up’ programs, and offer coursework for cultural growth, life enrichment, and skills improvement.”
Our community college system is not intended to be exclusive; instead, it is designed to include as many would-be students as possible. Those who do not have the funds to attend UC or CSU for four years find that admission priority to these schools is a huge bonus of a community college education – as they take general education credits at a rock-bottom price.
By the way, the much-maligned BOGWs are not afforded to those living in the lap of luxury. The CCC Chancellor’s Office shows that eligibility requires a total family income to be $33,075 or less for a four-person household.
Ever try living on this type of money in California? While I most certainly do not champion tax waste, I question the call to scale back on waivers for the truly needy – even if some of the recipients will waste the education opportunity.