FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Phil Singer

Will Congress Look Into Community Colleges?
Paging Tom Harkin…

New Report Shows Taxpayer Money Being Lost On Community College Dropouts:
Nearly $4 Billion Spent On First Year Dropouts At Community Colleges. “Nearly $4 billion was spent by federal, state, and local governments over five years on full-time community college students who dropped out after their first year without completing their certificate or degree programs, according to a new analysis released today by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).” (Press Release, “Community College Dropouts Cost Taxpayers Nearly $4 Billion,” American Institute For Research <http://www.air.org/news/index.cfm?fa=viewContent&content_id=1497> , 10/20/11)

• Almost $3 Billion Appropriated By State And Local Governments.
• More Than $240 Million On State Grants To Students.
• About $660 Million In Federal Student Grants.
• A Total Of $3.85 Billion In Federal, State, And Local Appropriations And Grants.

(Press Release, “Community College Dropouts Cost Taxpayers Nearly $4 Billion,” American Institute For Research <http://www.air.org/news/index.cfm?fa=viewContent&content_id=1497> , 10/20/11)

“For The 2008/2009 Academic Year...Nearly $1 Billion Of Taxpayer Money Was Spent On First-Year, Full-Time Students Who Dropped Out, About 35 Percent More Than Five Years Earlier. (Press Release, “Community College Dropouts Cost Taxpayers Nearly $4 Billion,” American Institute For Research <http://www.air.org/news/index.cfm?fa=viewContent&content_id=1497> , 10/20/11)

“[T]his Report Shows That Something That Seems So Inexpensive Can In Fact Be Very Costly, Once We Take Into Account The Low Levels Of Student Success.” (Mark Schneider, “The Hidden Costs Of Community Colleges,” American Institutes For Research <http://www.air.org/files/AIR_Hidden_Costs_of_Community_Colleges_Oct2011.pdf> , 10/11)

Mark Schneider, Vice President Of AIR And Author Of Report: “Taxpayers are investing billions of dollars to support students who never complete their first year...And these students are paying tuition, borrowing money, and taking time away from work to pursue certificates or degrees they aren’t getting.” (Press Release, “Community College Dropouts Cost Taxpayers Nearly $4 Billion,” American Institute For Research <http://www.air.org/news/index.cfm?fa=viewContent&content_id=1497> , 10/20/11)

FLASHBACK: Graduation Rate Comparison According To DOE:

Private Colleges & Universities Have Over Double The Graduation Rate For Two-Year Institutions, Nearly Triple That Of Public Institutions [Community Colleges].

Public Institutions: 20.6%
Not-For-Profit Institutions: 48.2%
For-Profit Institutions: 57.7%
(NCES Digest Of Education Statistics, Table 341 <http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_341.asp> , 2010)

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