Dive Brief:
- A new report from the Campaign for College Opportunity says California has failed to adequately invest in its public education system, pushing it out-of-reach for qualified students.
- EdSource reports that “Access Denied: Rising Selectivity at California’s Public Universities” calls the state system too small to serve a growing student population, causing a doubling in the gap between the number of Californians applying and being accepted to University of California and California State University schools.
- The report found that six of 23 California State University Campuses get applications from more qualified candidates than they can accept, raising admissions standards overall — a trend also seen in the University of California system, which demands near-perfect grades and test scores of applicants due to intense competition.
Dive Insight:
The public colleges and universities in California, like other states across the country, have struggled to get adequate funding from their state legislature. Without the funding they say they need, schools have turned to higher-paying out-of-state and international students. While the schools serve more in-state students than out-of-state, their share of spots has not kept up with population growth in California. Other states are facing a decreasing population of high school graduates, causing worries about under-enrollment at local colleges and universities.
But when it comes to funding, the University of Wisconsin system took a big hit this year and Illinois’ public higher education institutions are still in danger of a cut as the state’s new Republican governor continues to fight with a Democrat-controlled legislature over a budget that is six months late.