The Maryland Association of Community Colleges seeks updates to the Cade Formula, tuition waivers, capital project funding, and more.
Counties are proud supporters of Maryland’s community colleges, which continue to serve a greater role post-pandemic and as the State deepens implementation of The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (“The Blueprint”). For the 2024 legislative session, the Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MDACC) is seeking revised financial support from the State, help with capital projects, and updates to state-mandated tuition waiver programs.
Operating Request
Maryland’s community colleges support fully funding the Cade Funding Formula at 29% funding per FTES and the Baltimore City Community College Funding Formula at 68.5% per FTES. These formulas play a pivotal role in ensuring equitable funding across Maryland’s public institutions of higher education, fostering a collaborative ecosystem. These formulas effectiveness is attributed to the careful consideration of critical factors such as student enrollment, local resources, and demographics. By guaranteeing fair allocation, the formulas increase access and opportunity for all students to thrive and succeed in their educational pursuits.
Maryland’s community colleges are pleased that after 25 years, the formulas that determine the annual state aid allocation for community colleges reached the full statutory intent for the past two sessions. Now more than ever with the national conversation particularly focused around diversity, equity, and inclusion, any reduction to the statutory amount would be a step backwards for Maryland.
The Cade Funding Formula was set at 29% of the allocation granted to Maryland four-year colleges and universities. Baltimore City Community College, being a state entity, is funded through a separate formula at 68.5%. As the state continues to look to community colleges as partners in a changing economic landscape, increasing the number of required services for students and staff, raising awareness of all community colleges are doing now that is innovative and outside of the scope of when the Cade & BCCC formulas were developed can help explain the increased need for further State support.
Capital Request
MACC seeks full funding of the FY ‘24 MACC Capital Prioritization List that was presented to the Maryland Council of Community Colleges Presidents on August 1, 2023. We are seeking $94,479,000 for 13 projects across 8 colleges. This list has been fully vetted through a collaborative process before being submitted to the state in priority order. Baltimore City Community College, being a state entity, submits its capital budget request separately.
Facilities Renewal Grant
Each year eight community colleges are awarded funds through the Facilities Renewal Grant to assist with the maintenance needs of the colleges. The grant is funded separately and in addition to the annual Community College Capital Grant Program. However, when the fund was established, it was capped at either 5% of the Community College Capital Grant Program or at $500,000 max for each of the eight colleges that received the funding that year. MACC seeks to double the grant funding to $8M and ask that funding is distributed across all 16 colleges, to ensure equitable distribution on an annual basis.
Cyber Workforce Shortage
MACC is requesting $5 million to expand and implement new cybersecurity training opportunities through scaling best practices already in practice at certain community colleges. Community colleges have an opportunity to play a pivotal role in addressing the entry-level and middle skills needed for this vital workforce, and close the skills gap and fill high paying jobs.
These training and education programs are aligned with industry-driven needs, ensuring graduates are equipped with the skills demanded by the job market. To enhance their efforts, colleges seek additional funding through the governor’s budget for cutting-edge resources and faculty, ensuring our state remains a leader in cybersecurity education.
Tuition Waivers
While tuition waivers are often designed to help certain unique and underserved populations, MACC opposes tuition waivers and requests that such initiatives be based in policy that is funded so as not to create an undue burden on other enrolled students. Tuition waivers increase the cost of tuition for others and is not a viable policy for sustainability or inclusion. MACC will seek support for legislation that funds all state-mandated tuition and residency waivers.
