Northampton Community College is requesting a 6.6% increase of $60,521 funding for the 2024-25 academic year from Northampton Area School District.

If approved by the NASD Board of Education, NASD would contribute to the NCC 2024-25 general fund by $955,417 and to the capital fund by $22,750 for a total of $978,167 or 0.82 mills.

That’s up from NASD’s contribution to the NCC 2023-24 year: general fund of $896,370, and capital fund of $21,276, for a total of $917,646 or 0.80 mills.

“We enjoy the partnership we have with your school,” NCC President Dr. David A. Ruth said in his annual NCC review and budget request, presented at the March 11 board meeting.

NASD is one of NCC’s eight sponsoring school districts, which include Bethlehem, Saucon Valley, Bangor, Easton, Nazareth, Pen Argyl and Wilson.

Each school district’s board of education must approve its contribution to the NCC budget.

Revenue from the sponsoring school districts’ contributions to the NCC proposed 2024-25 operating budget is $7,056,643, an increase of $150,154 from $6,906,489 in the 2023-24 operating budget.

Revenue from the sponsoring school districts’ contributions to the NCC proposed 2024-25 capital budget is $175,000, a 0.0% increase.

The sponsoring school districts’ appropriations to NCC for 2024-25 are proposed to total $7,231,643, or an increase of 2.12% from 2023-24.

The NCC proposed 2024-25 operating budget expenditures is $74,791,302, an increase of $1,651,553 from the 2023-24 operating budget expenditures of $73,139,749.

The NCC proposed 2024-25 capital budget is $8,374,379, an increase of $22,468, or 0.3%, from the 2023-24 capital budget of $8,351,911.

The Pennsylvania Community College Act of 1963 established a funding formula of one-third state sponsored, one-third local sponsored and one-third student tuition and fees, to fund community colleges. In Northampton County, the local sponsor is the school districts.

NCC and its sponsoring school districts signed a 30-year agreement in 1967, extended in 2009 through 2056.

NCC has rebounded from the pandemic impact on enrollment, according to Ruth.

“Enrollment for fall (2023) is up 3%, winter (2023-24) is up 1%, with spring (2024) up 5%,” Ruth said.

In the NCC presentation college review, it was stated 30,000 students in credit and community education programs enroll annually at NCC.

NCC is the top college choice for Northampton County high school students continuing their education, with nearly one in four graduates enrolling, according to the review.

There were 602 NASD students enrolled during fall 2023 at NCC, including 44.9% full-time, 55.1% part-time, 60.6% female, and 28.6% minority, the review stated.

The review also noted Northampton Area High School graduate success stories, including those of Riley Kline, recipient of the NCC Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment, and Alex Schoenen, NCC outstanding athlete, men’s volleyball.

The annual NCC tuition is $5,310, compared to area four-year colleges’ first-year tuition of $10,360 to $61,180.

NCC has 60 student clubs and organizations including leadership development programs, student newspaper, student senate, theater and athletics.

The review also stated 96% of recent NCC graduates are employed or continuing their education, with many NCC programs having 100% job placement rates for graduates.

“We are a two-year school that offers four-year benefits,” Ruth said.

NASD will hold its elementary configuration meeting 6 p.m. April 4 at Moore Elementary School, 2835 Mountain View Drive, Moore Township.

The board of education will hold its next monthly meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. April 8 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

The school board has planned a special board meeting for 5:30 p.m. April 9 in the auditorium at NAHS to interview applicants for the school board vacancy in region 2 for Northampton Borough and East Allen Township.