Amendment #473 to H4100

Community colleges funding formula

Mr. Sannicandro of Ashland moves to amend the bill in section 87, by striking out the second paragraph, in lines 1215-1224, and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph: “The commissioner of higher education, in consultation with the presidents of the community colleges, shall establish the goals and metrics for measuring community college performance.  The goals and metrics shall include, but not be limited to: the number of degrees and certificates awarded annually, provided, that additional weight shall be given for degrees and certificates awarded to students who might have been considered at risk of not completing their education, including low and moderate income students, adult students, students with disabilities, and those who may have been less academically prepared upon entry; the number of transfers to four-year higher education institutions; student completion of a specified number of credits; alignment of degree and certificate programs with existing and emerging business and industry sectors in the commonwealth; coordinated procurement of goods and services among the community colleges and other public higher education institutions, including, but not limited to, consolidation of information technology platforms and services; post-graduate job placement rates; and student completion of developmental education and succeeding in college level courses.  In addition, a portion of performance funding may be utilized by the board of higher education to provide grants to community colleges based on, but not limited to, the following: undertaking innovative methods for delivering quality higher education that increase capacity, reduce costs, and promote student completion; engaging in statewide and regional collaborations with other public higher education institutions that reduce costs, increase efficiency, and promote quality, including, but not limited to, in the areas of academic programming and campus management; and improving student learning outcomes assessments set forth by the board of higher education under its Vision Project.”

; and in line 1230, of said section by inserting after the word “borrowing” the following two sentences: “In developing a funding formula for the community colleges, the commissioner of higher education shall also consult with the chairs of the senate and house ways and means committees, and the chairs of the joint committee on higher education.  The formula shall be used by the general court in appropriating funds to each of the community colleges in the annual state budget.”.