South By North Strategies, Ltd.

A new research report from the N.C. Budget and Tax Center lays out options for improving the quality and quantity of financial aid available to working adults enrolled in community college programs. From the report …

While tuition at community colleges in North Carolina remains low relative to other states, it increased by 17.6 percent from 2004-2005 to 2009-2010. Over that same period the total investment in the grant and scholarship programs for community college students remained steady from 05-06 at $14 million. However, the N.C. Community College Grant saw a 65 percent increase in the inflation-adjusted dollars awarded.  And due to the increase in the number of eligible recipients for that program, the inflation-adjusted average grant from this program actually declined over the same period.
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North Carolina distributed more than$414.9 million in state-based financial aid including grants, scholarships and loans in 2008-2009, 15 percent of which went to community college students.