Where We Stand: Community colleges need funding.

Amid all the talk in Tallahassee about higher education these days, some state legislators seem to be overlooking the fact that Florida boasts some of the best two- and four-year colleges in the nation. So when U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos chose Valencia College’s Osceola campus in Kissimmee for her first solo trip out of Washington, D.C., on Friday, it was a healthy reminder.

DeVos is a fan of community colleges. At Valencia, she said, “Community colleges are a tremendous option, a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous on-ramp for many students.” In a speech last month at the Community College National Legislative Summit, she called them a “uniquely American national asset.”

Florida stands out among other states for the achievements of its network of public colleges. Earlier this month, Broward College was named a runner-up in the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, an Oscars-like award given to the nation’s best community or state college.

Broward College’s three-year graduation-transfer rate is 47 percent, 8 points above the national average. Plus, there’s virtually no difference in its graduation rates for minority and majority students, far beating the national average.

What’s remarkable about this intense seven-year-old competition — which makes an award every two years and grants $1 million in prize money — is the strong showing of Florida colleges.

In 2011, the award’s first year, the Aspen Institute named Valencia the nation’s best college, and Miami-Dade College among the finalists.

In 2013, two West Coast colleges tied for the nation’s best, but Broward College and Gainesville’s Santa Fe College ranked in the top 10.

In 2015, Santa Fe College won the top honor, with Indian River College in Fort Pierce a finalist.

And this year, Broward College and Indian River tied for runnerup.

Against such success, it’s hard to square a proposal this month from the Florida Senate to trim $151 million from the higher education budget, with three-quarters of the cuts coming from the 28-member state college system.

Senate President Joe Negron prefers to focus on attaining “elite” status for the state university system. While that’s a worthy goal, it shouldn’t be at the expense of state colleges. In their league, several are already among the nation’s best.

The Senate cuts include a $55 million reduction for tutors and remedial education, $30 million in performance funding and $10 million in incentives to increase the number of students earning technical and industry certifications.

Community colleges face tough challenges. They admit almost anyone who applies. They educate large numbers of students who are the first in their families to attend college. They have a large number of students working full-time. They serve large populations of low-income and disadvantaged students. And they serve 40 percent of Florida’s undergraduate students.

Yet against long odds, colleges like Valencia, Broward, MiamiDade, Indian River and Santa Fe have become national role models.

“It is maybe the best college system in America for so many different reasons,” said Broward College President J. David Armstrong. “For the first time in 33 years, I feel we are not appreciated in Tallahassee like we should be.”

Broward, Valencia and other colleges in Florida help our families, friends and communities succeed. They make us proud. And they deserve full and fair support.