Florida Governor Rick Scott proposed a new idea to the Florida community college system that calls for four year degree programs that cost only $10 thousand.
Scott spoke Monday afternoon at Valenica Community College’s Lake Nona campus along with members of the Florida community college system such as Valencia Chairman Bertica Cabrera-Morris and presidents of other Central Florida community colleges.
“The goal of this program is to figure out how to do what the private sector has done: keep the cost down but also make sure we focus on where there’s jobs…” Scott said, when announcing the new program.
Among those at the event and already on board with the program include Valencia College, Daytona State College, Broward College, Seminole State College of Florida, College of Central Florida and Santa Fe College. Each has picked a degree program to begin this new “challenge” that can be offered to incoming students at the reduced pricing. Daytona State College even went so far as to propose an idea of a “3 year express” degree program that will essentially allow students who meet certain advanced criteria to option for any degree to be completed in 3 years at the $10 thousand price.
“You should be able to work and go to school and not end up with debt,” Scott told WFLA TV. “If these degrees cost so much money, tuition is so high, that’s not going to happen. I have put out this challenge to our state colleges — we have 28 great state colleges — and say, ‘Can you come up with degrees where individuals can get jobs that the total degree costs $10,000?'”
Some, however, question the credibility of the program and whether or not it is simply a gimmick to hide a supposed disinvestment in higher education by Florida legislatures.
“First off lets take K-12…we increased funding to K-12 a billion dollars last year, Scott said. “If you look at the legislature they’re very focused, just like I am–how do we make sure this system whether, its K-12 or universities or state colleges, we are the best in the nation.”
WEIGH IN–Would you rather pay $10K for a degree from a state college instead of going to a university like UCF and spending more?
