SALEM, Ore.- The Joint Subcommittee on Education passed Senate Bill 5525, that would provide funding to support Oregon’s community colleges on June 2.
SB 5525 is the Higher Education Coordinating Commission’s (HECC’s) agency budget bill and allocates $854.4 million for the Community College Support Fund (CCSF) for the 2025-2027 biennium.
“This funding level does not meet the realities our colleges are facing,” said Dr. Abby Lee, Executive Director of the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA). “It will force many colleges to make painful cuts that directly impact student success, from course offerings to support services.”
The CCSF is the main source of state funding for educational and operational expenses at Oregon’s 17 community colleges, and is distributed by HECC after a biennial budget is approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
According to OCCA, while the $854 million is in line with Governor Kotek’s recommended budget, it falls short of the $920 million that Oregon’s community colleges identified as essential to cover the rising costs of educating students, while also maintaining essential programs and services.
Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton issued the following statement on the passage of SB 5525:
“While we appreciate the approved budget allocation coming out of the Joint Subcommittee on Education, we need the State of Oregon to more fully commit to the partnership we share in preparing and providing a skilled and ready workforce that fuels and sustains the Oregon economy.”
Oregon’s community colleges are experiencing rising enrollment and increased demand for career connected programs such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and behavioral health, according to OCCA.
The full Joint Ways and Means Committee will now consider SB 5525, and a work session on the bill is scheduled for June 6.
