Kelly Calls Out Trump Administration for Funding Cuts Threatening Community Colleges

“If the Trump administration wants to expand domestic manufacturing, community college programs like Quick Start [at Maricopa Community Colleges] are essential to supporting and advancing this goal.”

Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon raising concerns about the Trump administration’s actions undermining community colleges in Arizona and across the country. Kelly warned that recent funding withdrawals and unclear directives from the Department of Education are making it harder for community colleges to prepare students for in-demand jobs, jeopardizing workforce development and local economic growth. 

There are about 1,100 community colleges across the country that educate 6.4 million undergraduate students each year, roughly 40 percent of all undergraduates and more than twice as many as are enrolled at every highly selective college and university combined. In Arizona, the state’s ten public community college districts generate a $15.2 billion annual economic impact and partner with local employers to provide specialized workforce training. 

Kelly highlighted how community colleges are directly meeting the needs of Arizona’s growing industries: “In my own state, I have seen this with the development of the Semiconductor Technician Quick Start Program at Maricopa Community Colleges, which trains students in specialized skills to quickly enter a fast-growing advanced manufacturing job market. Arizona is home to two of the world’s three largest semiconductor manufacturers and Quick Start is closely aligned with the state’s workforce and economy. If the Trump administration wants to expand domestic manufacturing, community college programs like Quick Start are essential to supporting and advancing this goal. These types of programs should receive more federal support, not less.” 

Kelly also emphasized the challenges community colleges are facing under the administration’s approach: “Inconsistent funding makes it difficult for them to implement and sustain these types of opportunities. They are forced to navigate vague directives, left in the dark about reliability of federal grants, and lack clear points of contact to get answers because of staffing cuts at the Department of Education, all of which hurts their ability to serve students and communities effectively.” 

Kelly concluded his letter by requesting answers from the Department by September 2, 2025, on how the administration is evaluating the impact of these cuts, ensuring greater stability and support for community colleges, engaging with institutions as they begin the new academic year, and involving them in the implementation of Executive Order 14278. 

Read the full letter here.