Idaho community college presidents tell Senate committee enrollments are up sharply, need funding for capacity and workforce programs

Lede: Presidents of Idaho's community colleges told the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday that enrollment is rising rapidly across the state and that colleges need targeted funding for classroom capacity, health-care training and workforce partnerships.

Nut graf: Leaders from College of Western Idaho (CWI), College of Southern Idaho (CSI), College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) and North Idaho College said they are serving tens of thousands of Idaho students — many in career-technical programs — but face wait lists, limited lab and clinical capacity and a shortage of instructors. Several presidents urged the Legislature to support the governor's proposal for capacity-building funds, describing how additional dollars would translate into more seats for nursing, welding, automotive and allied-health programs.

Body: Gordon Jones, president of College of Western Idaho, said CWI serves about 31,000 unique students, offers more than 120 programs — about 55 career-technical programs — and…