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Funding Gap To Cut Enrollment For Calif. Community Colleges

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — Hundreds of thousands of students across the 112-campus California community college system face an uncertain academic future as the state struggles to fix its financial crisis.

KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports the ongoing budget battle coupled with funding shortages has potentially left students at a crossroads at Glendale Community College, where the winter and summer sessions are all but canceled.

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Community colleges throughout the state will get less money after Governor Jerry Brown was unable to put tax extensions up for a vote on the June ballot — and that will likely lead to hefty cutbacks.

Chancellor Jack Scott said Wednesday that community colleges funding cuts are tragic for students hoping to continue their education and transfer to universities.

Scott tells KNX 1070 now that budget talks have broken down, schools across the state may have to close their doors to up to 400,000 students who want to register for classes.

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Nearly three million students attend state community colleges.

The Los Angeles Times says the schools will likely be forced to absorb an $800 million reduction in funding, double the amount suggested in Gov. Jerry Brown's current budget proposal.

The proposed budget raises community college student fees from $26 to $36 per unit, but they could be raised higher if a budget compromise is not reached.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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