Education

While the UC and Cal State systems received more money in 2023, they still face financial challenges. And they also must address labor strife.

Public schools are having mixed success recovering from COVID learning loss, while being in the center of political fights over LGBTQ rights.

The number of nursing students enrolling in high-priced private programs has nearly doubled over the past 10 years as the state’s public universities have stagnated in growth. Private universities charge up to seven times the tuition of public schools for a bachelor’s degree, but nurses say their starting salaries are worth the cost.

Despite a few improvements, the data shows students are still struggling on several fronts.

The California Faculty Association is seeking a 12% pay increase, while university officials counter with 5% in each of the next three years.

In 2020, the state agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed too many students were not learning to read. As part of that agreement, the state spent over $50 million on 75 schools with the lowest reading scores.

Mildred García, the new Cal State chancellor, is earning a total compensation of nearly $1 million. Meanwhile, university president pay has increased at a greater rate than that of faculty, who are preparing to strike in early December, and the system is raising tuition. Yet, Cal State execs still say their pay lags behind the national average.

Most undocumented college students in California are not eligible for DACA anymore, creating new dilemmas for students and colleges around employment, financial aid and the threat of deportation.

Cal State officials offered a 5% increase for each of the next three years, although those raises are not guaranteed. The union plans to strike at four campuses.

Small, rural districts often struggle to pass local bond measures to pay for school construction and repairs. In some cases, leaking roofs, dry rot and broken air conditioners haven’t been fixed in years.