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Published on 08/17/1998 All articles from this issue

Enrollment challenges face Foothill-De Anza

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

Like California's public K-12 school districts, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District could have to meet new state standards in order to receive increased funding.

The Partnership for Excellence program, expected to launch this fall, would require California's 103 community colleges to increase the number of degrees and certificates earned, transfers to four-year institutions and courses successfully completed; and to improve work-force development and basic skills improvements over the next three years.

Under the program, for example, the number of students who earn degrees through the state's community college system must increase from 80,799 to 110,500, said Kathy Blackwood, budget officer for the district.

She said the college system must increase the percentage of students who successfully complete a course from 66.8 percent to 69.2 percent. And the number of students who transfer to four-year institutions must increase from 10,886 each year to 14,500, she said.

"We do very well at these kinds of things," said Blackwood about improving district programs, but added that all colleges statewide must do well in order for the state to continue funding the program.

She said much of each school's success will have to do with outside factors. She said a school near a four-year university, for example, would probably have a higher number of transfers.

The new program would provide about $100 million in additional funds to the state's community college system to be used for performance improvements. Blackwood said the program could add about $3 million to the district's budget.

Blackwood said the state has traditionally emphasized student enrollment to determine the level of funding each school receives.

She said, based on current enrollment trends, the district is not expected to achieve this year's growth allowance of 2 percent and could leave as much as $2 million of funding unclaimed. She said the enrollment goal for the district this year is 30,500, or less than 1 percent of last year's enrollment.

She said an anticipated increase in foreign-student enrollment could partially offset the loss.

Despite the district's enrollment projections and the long wait for Governor Pete Wilson to approve the 1998-99 budget, Blackwood said the tentative budget looks good.

She said the district has good reserves, substantial one-time money and strong partnerships with the community. She said the tentative budget is $116.2 million, including money from the Partnership for Excellence program.

The board of trustees is scheduled to review the tentative budget at its regular meeting next Monday.