In California, Community College Graduation Rates Disappoint

"The issue is whether this is an inexpensive education or a cheap education," David Longanecker, executive director of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, said of California's system at a recent conference for education journalists. "Low price is the enemy of access."

The costs are so low that some students sign up for classes because the gym privileges are cheaper than health clubs, Shulock says. Zumeta says low fees have become a misguided "obsession." Considering books, transportation and other expenses, class fees are only about 5 percent of what it costs students to attend community colleges here. The focus should be on helping students with that other 95 percent of expenses, so they can work less.

Low prices have actually reduced the federal aid eligibility for some students, such as Burns at San Diego City, who says she qualified for a Pell Grant this year for the first time.

And Zumeta argues that, at least until recently, there hasn't been enough money for financial aid counselors to help students get the money they are entitled to, which may explain why California community college students appear to leave millions of aid dollars on the table. Despite their relative poverty, California students get less in Pell Grants and end up with more unmet overall financial need than their counterparts elsewhere.

While Zumeta and others support continuing and expanding waivers for the poorest students, they note that nearly 200,000 other students have incomes of $100,000 or more, or come from families who do.

"There are an awful lot of students in the California community college system who frankly could afford to pay more," Zumeta said.

But many who work closely with students say that argument cuts against the founding philosophy of California's unique system -- and fails to recognize that, in the end, raising the price makes attending school harder for low-income students.

"I understand the economics, the micro and macro arguments people are trying to make," said Oakley, the Long Beach City College president. "But those people don't really know our students either."

Ruben Page, a counselor who works closely with students at Long Beach, would probably agree. He says there are plenty of things he could do with more money, but worries about how the poorest students would fare.

"When I go to high schools, my students aren't always thinking about the money, but their parents are," said Page, adding bus fare can be the determining factor in where a student enrolls. "They look at pennies."

AP-ES-07-14-07 1218EDT