In 2022, the state awarded community colleges $650 million in COVID-19 relief money and less than 20% of that money has been spent over a year later, CalMatters recently reported.
CalMatters reporters, who spoke with community colleges throughout California, found that schools are reluctant to spend the money out of fear that Gov. Gavin Newsom will ask them to return the money as the state faces a $37.9 billion deficit.
When the state had a projected deficit last year, Gov. Newsom proposed asking the colleges to return the COVID-19 relief money. While this didn’t end up happening, he did cut back other funds for community colleges, CalMatters reported.
Santa Barbara City College received over $7.5 million in COVID-19 relief money from the state, and SBCC spokesperson Jordan Killebrew said that about $5 million still remains unspent this year.
The state outlines allowed uses of the money, including access to basic needs and mental health services for students, professional development for faculty, to help meet students’ financial needs, technology, and more.
“We are working on a plan and learning to understand what post-COVID services are needed to support students,” Killebrew said. “As we plan, we are being very conservative with the funds, especially as the state is in a deficit.”
CalMatters said that over $500 million of the $650 million remains unspent.
Gov. Newsom’s proposed 2024-25 budget that was released on Jan. 10 does not include any major cuts to the California community college system, but schools are still wary as the budget can still change before being enacted this summer.
Dan Troy, assistant superintendent at Cuesta College, told CalMatters that, of the nearly $5 million the San Luis Obispo County Community College District received, only about $390,000 has been spent or is set to be spent as of the end of last year.
“Predictability, consistent funding, I think that’s what most campuses would love to see,” Troy told CalMatters. “I was reluctant to make major commitments to the (COVID-19) dollars for fear that the rug would be pulled out from under us.”
Killebrew told Noozhawk that SBCC has a similar approach to Troy in spending the state’s COVID-19 relief money.