The Dream Act’s Rude Awakening?

Ray Jose says he’s lucky to be able to attend Montgomery College now, but worries that some of his fellow undocumented students are suddenly not as fortunate. It seems the Dream Act, which took effect January 1, is having the unexpected result of making education cost more, not less, for some of them.

High school students in Montgomery County are allowed to get a head start on their college education by taking certain classes at Montgomery College prior to their high school graduation. Undocumented high-schoolers who take advantage of this suddenly must pay three times as much as older undocumented students. That’s because wording in the act grants in-state tuition rates only to those who have already graduated high school. In addition, high school students must now prove their citizenship status for access to Montgomery College at the lower rates, which had not been required previously.

Classes can run about $400, with undocumented students ineligible for the Dream Act paying about $1,200. Several state legislators, community groups and school officials from community colleges are currently discussing ways to remedy the unintended loophole, efforts which have already drawn opposition from anti-Dream Act groups.