California Community Colleges will receive $3.5 billion in additional resources this year, including the full repayment of $1.5 billion in deferrals, per the 2021-22 budget signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“Thanks to higher-than-expected state revenues and federal stimulus funding, the budget provides historic funding for public education. This includes significant support for community colleges and a substantial cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).”

–Eric Kaljumägi, CCA President

The budget provides a 5.07 percent COLA, or $371.2 million in ongoing Proposition 98 funding, without a proposed provision that would have tied the funding to an increase in online courses. CCA was successful in advocating against this proposition. It also extends the hold harmless provision for funding to 2024-25. Other major components of the 2021-22 budget agreement related to community colleges include:

• Emergency Financial Aid: Provides $150 million one-time Prop. 98 funding for emergency financial aid.
• Basic Needs: Provides $100 million one-time Prop. 98 funding to support student basic needs, and provides $30 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding to support basic needs centers at all community colleges.
• Full-Time Faculty: Provides $100 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding to increase the hiring of full-time faculty.
• Part-Time Faculty Office Hours: Provides $90 million one-time and $10 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding to support part-time faculty office hours.
• Student Recruitment and Retention: Provides $100 million one-time Prop. 98 funding to support student recruitment and retention strategies.
• Mental Health: Provides $30 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding to support student mental health services.
• Professional Development: Provides $20 million one-time Prop. 98 funding to support faculty professional development.
• Zero-Textbook-Cost Degrees: Provides $115 million one-time Prop. 98 funding for zero-textbook-cost degrees.
• Capital Outlay: Approves all proposed Prop. 51 capital outlay projects and reappropriations, including nine new projects and 32 continuing projects. The budget also provides $511 million one-time Prop. 98 funding for deferred maintenance.
• Course Numbering: Provides $10 million one-time General Fund monies to develop a common course numbering system throughout the community college system.
• Student Equity and Achievement Program: Increases support for the Student Equity and Achievement Program by $23.8 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding.
• Adult Education: Provides a 4.05 percent COLA for the Adult Education program.
• Categorical Programs: Provides COLA to the following categorical programs: EOPS, campus child care, CalWORKS, DSPS, child nutrition and the mandates block grant.

The budget also includes investments in student financial aid, providing additional funding for the Cal Grant for income-eligible students and expanding the Middle-Class Scholarship Program.

The higher education budget cleanup bill (SB 169) creates the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program and the Capacity Expansion Grant Program to support affordable student housing at California Community Colleges as well as in the UC and CSU systems. The bill appropriates $500 million one-time funding in 2021-22 for student housing projects and includes legislative intent to provide $750 million in 2022-23 and $750 million in 2023-24 for this purpose — with half of the funding earmarked for community colleges.