Goals and Needs
December 2, 2015In early December, National Park Community College hosted an event coined “Community College Work$.” That name was coined after a lot of discussions, and we landed on adding the word ‘works,’ with the dollar sign, to signify what the community colleges across the state of Arkansas do for its citizenry, its students, the state, and the workforce. According to a study done by the American Association for Community Colleges, for every dollar taxpayers invest in the community college, the return is about seven dollars. This return is measured in increased earnings by graduates, increased productivity by businesses who have a better-trained workforce, and taxes generated by this increase in earnings and productivity. This includes savings in the social services sector—such as individuals who avoid public assistance and stay out of the judicial system because they are gainfully employed. The Arkansas Community College (ACC) association estimates this saves Arkansans over $16M annually.