Maricopa Community Colleges operating aid left out of state budget for 12th year
June 24
The recently passed 2027 Arizona state budget left out Maricopa Community Colleges operational aid for the 12th consecutive year.
Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC) leaders said the district asked the legislature to approve $7 million in operational aid, which is a fraction of the $28.4 million the district is entitled to.
“The state has an obligation to provide support for its community colleges,” Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Steven Gonzales said in a statement. “As the largest community college system in the state, the lack of investment ultimately hurts Arizona’s long-term economic growth.”
Operational aid supports student services, teaching positions and workforce programs. Both Maricopa and Pima Community Colleges have gone without operational aid since 2015, adding up to more than $655 million of aid the districts have not received.
College districts in rural areas have been prioritized and receive aid from the state due to having less access to funding.
The district educates more Arizona residents than any other postsecondary institution in the state, while also offering the largest workforce development education.
Additionally, other programs MCC offers were also not funded in the state budget.
What other Maricopa Community Colleges programs lost funding?
- Dual Enrollment, $1.5 million
- Nurse Education Investment, $1.5 million
- Adult Education Workforce Program, $6 million
The district has an $8.8 billion economic impact and supports 1 in 30 jobs in Maricopa County, according to a recent report.
The report also found that the district contributed a total of $13.3 billion in social benefits, including $8.1 billion in student income and $3.3 billion in business income.
District leaders voted to not increase tuition for the fourth consecutive year and continue to expand its affordable bachelor’s degree programs. But, Gonzales said not receiving the operational aid puts the district in a difficult place.
“We’ve been a leader in higher education for decades, and I’m proud of our success despite the state’s lack of investment in our system,” Gonzales said. “We will continue to act in the best interest of students, and we will continue to ask the state each year to reinstate operating aid to ensure we can continue supporting students, strengthening Arizona’s workforce, and meet the needs of our growing economy.”
Reporting by “Arizona Horizon” Education Solutions Reporter Roxanne De La Rosa. Her role is made possible through grant funding from the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund and Report for America.
