(prepared by the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees)
State General Aid – a fundamental building block to ensure skilled workers with a broad base of knowledge
State General Aid assists in moderating tuition increases and maintaining affordable access. Iowa’s Community Colleges seek an additional $12.9 million in State General Aid for fiscal year 2009. This request is based on a formula adopted by the State Board of Education.
Workforce Training – a critical tool in maintaining and building capacity for skilled worker training through funds from ACE, Infrastructure, and Workforce Training and Economic Development Funds
By 2012 the shortage in Iowa’s workforce is estimated to be 150,000 workers. The skilled worker training programs provided through ACE, Infrastructure, Workforce Training and Economic Development funding streams are the cornerstone of workforce training. These funding streams provide critical support in closing the capacity gap which is conservatively estimated between $40-60 million statewide.
High tech equipment and skilled faculty with the necessary expertise make workforce training programs the most costly programs offered. Iowa’s Community Colleges require additional capacity to produce the skilled workers needed today and tomorrow throughout Iowa.
A long-term commitment of $40-60 million per year in state and local assistance as well as the continued collaboration between the State and Iowa’s Community Colleges can ensure the development of the necessary skilled workers.
Local Tax Support – a vital component in meeting capacity and local community needs
Each Community College Board’s flexibility to access local tax support when needed can begin to address the current workforce training capacity and maintenance needs as well as the increasing tuition expense. In fiscal year 1970, approximately 25% of the Community Colleges’ general operating fund budget was comprised of local tax revenues. Today local support for Community Colleges:
-is less than 6% of their general operating fund budgets; and
-is about 2% of total local tax revenues across the state.
Community College Salaries – a central element for quality staff and for student success
Iowa’s Community Colleges support equitable distribution of supplemental salary appropriations and their availability for all community college staff salaries.
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