Democrats gave up on President Joe Biden’s attempt to include free community college in his massive social spending plan, dubbed Build Back Better. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, a community college professor herself, made the announcement last week.
The plan passed the House in November but has stalled in the Senate. Initially, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema — alongside West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin — opposed the price tag on the plan. Now, Democrats have been cutting proposals from it to try to strike a compromise, including free community college.
It comes as enrollment is dropping at community colleges here and around the country, and state funding for them has been slashed.
Rufus Glasper is president and CEO of the League for Innovation in the Community College as well as a former chancellor for the Maricopa County Community College District.
The Show spoke with him to learn about the decrease and began the conversation with his reaction to the Biden administration dropping this initiative from its signature plan.
KJZZ is licensed to the Maricopa County Community College District.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's position on the plan.
