People say, “Students are our nation’s future,” so cutting back on student educational growth is a problem. State aid is a major source of funding for K-12 schools; 47 percent of total education expenditures in the U.S. come from state funds. This year Minnesota cut funding by 10.5 percent. Minnesota’s 2011 final cut was the largest in its history.

Minnesota student leaders and higher education officials complained that the state had abandoned its tradition of funding two-thirds of the cost of a student’s public-college education. Now it’s on its way to funding only one third.

For some students, community college is the only way to afford a higher education. However, community colleges who rely heavily on state-funding are finding that they do not have the space for the rapid enrollment.

Orono students going to college in-state have to pay attention for the increase in tuition. As the state spending increased, tuition has slowly risen. Minnesota has cut back on their full-ride Promise Scholarship and their financial aid.

Students wanting to go to schools in-state also to worry about getting accepted. Colleges and universities are trying to get out of state tuition’s, because the school can charge them more money, in some states more then two to three times more money then in state students. The tuition increase in Minnesota is about 3.7 to 5 percent.

Students who do not know what profession they want to persuade out of college are now getting pressured to graduate in a four-year span. Minnesota universities are considering charging students who have enough credits to graduate in four years, but do not, so students have to stick to a major or it will be costly.

The educational budget cut has affected Orono students by cutting their freedom. Because of less money to spend on teaching staff, “after programs being cut, teachers would be next to go.” said Principle David Benson students do not get the chance to take fun, interesting classes like cooking class, like they do in Wayzata High School. Teachers are teaching more classes and different subjects. Because of the class size, the teacher has less time to spend one on one time with students. “I’m holding even if we get no gain or loss I think the only thing that would affect the students would be the class size,” said Benson

Orono students that are thinking of, or are going to, college need to be smart with their spending. The educational cut is not going to stop abruptly. Students need to look at the college they are interested in most and try to find ways to pay for it without getting into dept.

“We don’t know if we will get cuts, we won’t know till the spring, our thinking is everything will be as it is.” said Benson

Rainey Bittman is a Visuals Editor for The Spartan Speaks