All right, I looked it up. California Community colleges still are low cost, sans tuition. Here's the present fee system for the community college I took a few summer courses at -
http://www.smc.edu/catalog/2006_2007/default.htm
quote -
Fees & Tuition
The California residency status of students determines whether they are required to pay tuition in addition to enrollment and other fees. See the College Policies section in this catalog (included online in the Part 4 .pdf available at the main catalog webpage) for details on residency.
ENROLLMENT FEE
All students?-both resident and nonresident?-enrolling in credit or graded classes must pay a State-mandated enrollment fee of $26 per unit (subject to change). This fee is subject to change without notice. Students who are California residents may be exempt from paying enrollment fees and Health Services fees if they file a BOG Fee Waiver application with the Financial Aid Office and can document that they are recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, formerly AFDC), Social Security Income (SSI) or General Relief (GR). For more information about fee waivers and their eligibility requirements, contact the Financial Aid Office before starting enrollment procedures.
NONRESIDENT TUITION
Students classified as nonresidents must pay tuition in addition to enrollment fees. Tuition for students who are both citizens and residents of a foreign country (including F-1 visa students) is $180 per semester unit. Tuition for other students classified as nonresidents is $155 per semester unit. For information about deadlines for paying all fees, the definition of legal residence, nonresident reclassification, or tuition refund policies, see the College Policies, Rules, and Regulations section of this catalog, check the SMC website (www.smc.edu), or contact the Admissions Office. To find current deadline dates for paying all fees or receiving refunds, see the SMC website (www.smc.edu) or consult the College Policies section of the Schedule of Classes.
End/quote
So, at least in my old area, you can add two more years on to K-12, thus, 15 years. (I consider $26. a unit as a fee equivalent to my $26. a semester back in 1960, considering 47 years of inflation.)