When it comes to schools, Orange County has an abundance of choices, from the very young dabbling in finger paints to those earning post-graduate degrees. But the state’s public education system is in the midst of a financial crisis with a staggering $18 billion in cuts to education that are affecting students at the primary and high school levels all the way up the ladder to higher education, which many claim is becoming less and less affordable.
Last year Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced revisions to his budget proposal that included multibillion-dollar cuts to the state’s education system, making California the nation’s last funding-per-pupil state. School districts are finding themselves strapped, delaying financial support and funds for such basic necessities as textbooks. Class sizes, which were reduced years ago, will increase with the possibility of shaving seven days off the school calendar. Many arts and music programs have been scaled back or eliminated altogether, physical education is no longer conducted daily, and summer school in many districts no longer exists.
The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) were once considered the best education systems in the United States, but are now facing multimillion-dollar shortfalls. The CSU system has created work furloughs for staff. Salary and hiring freezes, plus travel restrictions as a result of shrinking budgets, have also been implemented. In addition, student enrollment has been limited system-wide and college-bound students are borrowing more money than ever before and, not surprising, loan default rates are rapidly increasing as a result. Student protests on state college campuses are also becoming more common as students struggle to find the means to pay tuition or secure classes. The Cal Grant program, which provides financial aid to students at the university level, will be phased out altogether by 2011.
While this may be life as we know it, California public universities still get high marks for their full range of undergraduate and masters’ programs, as well as doctoral degrees, and are noted for producing groundbreaking research. Both Cal Berkeley and UCLA rank among the Top 25 National Universities according to U.S. News & World Report. In addition to Orange County’s two public universities, Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine, both named to U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Colleges, the county also has many community colleges as well as private and for-profit institutions.
This chapter takes you from diapers to doctorate degrees as we explore the educational systems and options Orange County has to offer.