Shapiro Administration Awards More Than $33 Million to 12 Community Colleges for Capital Projects and Renovations

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today awarded more than $33 million to 12 community colleges to assist with funding current short-term and long-term debt service projects, capital leases, and cash capital projects approved by the Commonwealth. This funding complements the Shapiro Administration's efforts to reinvest in Pennsylvania's postsecondary system, and create more opportunities for learners to chart their own course.

"The Shapiro Administration is committed to reversing decades of disinvestment in our postsecondary education system, and this grant funding will help Pennsylvania's community colleges update buildings, make improvements, and better serve learners on their campuses," said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. "Investments like this, combined with a focus on access and affordability, will have a real impact on learners both today and in the years to come."

The awardees are as follows:

• Butler County Community College; $300,000; Information Technology infrastructure improvements
• Community College of Allegheny County; $1.5 million; Milton Hall foundation settlement
• Delaware County Community College; $10 million; Southeast Campus Phase II
• Erie County Community College; $410,000; Campuswide window replacement
• Harrisburg Area Community College; $500,000; Campuswide electrical panel replacement
• Lehigh Carbon Community College; $625,000; Public Safety System improvement
• Luzerne County Community College; $149,023; Campus waterline replacement
• Montgomery County Community College; $10.3 million; Campuswide deferred maintenance
• Northampton Community College; $2 million; Campuswide roof and paving
• PA Highlands Community College; $843,500; Centre County campus expansion
• Reading Area Community College; $6.5 million; Student Union Building renovations
• Westmoreland County Community College; $500,000; PSTC Burn Building renovations

Eligible projects included: new facilities to serve emerging or current growth populations and/or to meet high priority workforce facility needs; major repairs and critical deferred maintenance; renovations to and replacement of existing aging facilities, which no longer meet programmatic demands; and ADA compliance projects based on a formal action plan, code compliance and life safety repairs.

Gov. Shapiro's 2024-25 budget invests nearly $60 million to make postsecondary education more accessible and affordable to Pennsylvanians, with a $35.1 million increase for Pennsylvania State System universities, a $15.7 million increase for community colleges, and an additional $143 million to PHEAA to make college more affordable for PA students, including: a $54 million increase for student grants, a $5 million increase for disadvantaged students' scholarships, a $36 million increase for the Ready to Succeed Scholarship and expanded criteria to increase the number of eligible students, and $25 million for the new Grow PA Scholarship Program.

Additionally, this budget establishes a State Board of Higher Education to coordinate the Commonwealth's higher education sectors - including community colleges - and is tasked with developing a statewide strategic plan and collecting data from postsecondary institutions to inform decision makers, developing a performance-based funding formula for state-related universities, developing procedures for when postsecondary institutions close, and establishing a comprehensive data system and collecting data from colleges and universities statewide.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website or follow PDE on InstagramOpens In A New Window, FacebookOpens In A New Window, TwitterOpens In A New Window, YouTubeOpens In A New Window, or PinterestOpens In A New Window.

MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James, [email protected]

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