Economy

South Florida students are scrambling to find ways to pay for ever-increasing college costs — or lowering their dreams of a higher education.

While lawmakers in Madison acknowledge the need to invest in Wisconsin's technical colleges, it remains to be seen if they are willing to nearly double the amount of money available for state-financed student financial aid grants in the next state budget.

Funding cuts by cash-strapped legislatures have prompted many state universities to raise tuition, but some institutions are trying to buck the trend.

The chairman of a North Dakota legislative committee that reviews higher education spending says the university system's requests for more employees are going to get tough scrutiny.

California's ongoing state budget crisis has claimed another victim: student state workers. In a few weeks the state will ax hundreds of their jobs – just as the school year gets under way.

The state's public colleges and universities are absorbing a fifth round of budget cuts since 2008. In the new state budget, higher education was cut by $66 million, bringing total cuts since 2008 to $420 million.

A proposed budget for North Dakota's colleges includes $10 million to help ease the impact of oil development in Williston and Dickinson.

Iowa State University increased outside funding to $360 million last year, though the total fell $28 million short of a record haul two years ago, according to figures released Monday by the university.

The percentage of 25- to 34-year-olds in Washington with college degrees fell during the recession, according to a new government report.

Families have implemented more cost-saving strategies to cut college spending in the past academic year, choosing less expensive schools and finding more economical ways for students to attend.