Safety net for struggling colleges is expiring — and the Bay Area will likely be hit hardest

THIS JUNE, STRUGGLING California community colleges will stop getting yearly cost-of-living increases to their budgets. These increases have kept many districts afloat for the past six years while community colleges adjusted to a new funding method based on district performance rather than enrollment numbers alone.

Most districts are surpassing the system’s goals, while struggling districts have been making cuts to bridge their budget gaps. With yearly cost-of-living increases being eliminated, those struggling districts will need to make even more cuts.