Even though enrollment in community colleges was down this Fall, the intent to enroll continues to be a priority, according to a recent report from Strada Education. The study, which interviewed community college stakeholders, found that supporting people in meeting these enrollment and completion goals plays an integral part in economic recovery post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community college enrollment was down about 10% in 2021, yet an estimated 20.5 million working-age adults, ages 25 to 64, said in the Strada report that they intend to enroll in community or technical college in the next two years. And stakeholders believe that by implementing student success interventions designed “to support access, completion and better career outcomes,” they can improve enrollment and “provide a path to economic mobility for millions of Americans,” stated the report.
In a webinar hosted by Strada last week, stakeholders discussed what community colleges can do in order to encourage them in making a commitment to school. Panelists included Melissa Leavitt, PhD, director of research at Strada, and lead author of the study; Michael Baston, JD, EdD, president at Rockland Community College; Adelina Silva, PhD, vice chancellor for student success at the Alamo Community College District (ACCD); and Della Drummond, coordinator of the summer bridge program for entering first-year students at UC Berkley.
The group discussed some important steps necessary after a year and a half of declining enrollment numbers at community colleges across the country. According to Leavitt’s research, there was a decline of 2.5% in the Fall of 2021 for all colleges and universities, twice the decline as one year before. However, community college enrollment specifically dropped about 10% in the Fall, and 11% in the Spring of 2021.
But as Leavitt points out, the decline was not evenly distributed across populations. For example, first time students saw twice as large of a decline in enrollment numbers, three-times the decline for students of color, and four times the general rate of decline for older/working-age students.
However, there are some exceptions. For example, Silva notes that ACCD did not suffer as big of a drop in enrollment due in part to programs that were already in place before the school moved to virtual learning last March. The school already provides a support model that creates one-one-one advising throughout the entire enrollment (which amounts to about 100,000 students a year).
Plus, as soon as the pandemic hit, ACCD sent out a message saying: “we’re all in this together,” and pledged to help students step by step.
“In spring of 2020, we actually had the highest completion rate of any semester we ever had, and in the Fall, we had a .8% increase in enrollment,” Silva told the audience.
She attributes the success to all of the actionable communication items including emailing, texting, etc. And the ACCD continues to send weekly messages asking students how they are doing during this difficult time.
Later in the conversation, the webinar turned to the connection between dropped enrollment and unemployment in the U.S. According to the Strada report, in April 2020—when unemployment levels due to the pandemic reached their peak—19.2% of people with a high school education were unemployed, compared with 13.9% of people with an associate’s degrees and 8.5% of people with a bachelor’s degree.
“Enrollment declines mean that fewer people are preparing for jobs in many high growth industries such as construction, cybersecurity, healthcare, and manufacturing—industries that were already facing a shortage of skilled labor. Without a degree, adults will be left without a path to career advancement; without these workers, employers will be unable to fill in-demand jobs,” stated the Strada report.
Guidance and coaching are essential to addressing the challenges many adult learners experience, such as self-doubt and a lack of access to clear information. And for the many low-income adults who intend to enroll in community college, their ability to enroll, persist and succeed will depend upon access to essential needs, such as housing, food and transportation.
However, stakeholders still believe that institutions can grow their enrollment numbers and build up their region’s talent pipeline by implementing proven interventions to overcome these barriers for low-income, first generation and adult learners.
Baston notes that many first-generation and older students have the intent and the dream of going to college, but they don’t have family that understands the process and can support them throughout the process.
“The dreams are there, but life gets in the way,” he said.
Especially in the populations of minority students. According to Silva, in her demographic around Alamo, Texas, 20,000 students graduate from high school per year and less than 47% go to college or university anywhere—and that was before the pandemic.
Silva encourages community colleges to make connections with local employers to help out these special populations. She notes that stakeholder involved in the process will produce college grads with the skills that employers want to hire.
For example, ACCD started the Alamo Promise at 25 regional high schools. Students at partnering schools can take a pledge with a ACCD school which commits to coaching on enrollment and throughout the college experience and in return, the program pays the student’s tuition.
“It’s supply and demand,” Silva said. “We need to have them, but we want to hold them accountable.” But she notes that schools cannot do it alone and need community resources as partners.
Baston also recommends offering students shorter-term credentials along their college pathway so that they can feel more accomplished in a shorter period of time. Once they build this confidence, the students are much more likely to return to school and get more certifications and degrees.
“Bite sized increments that allows the student to move between education to workspace,” Drummond, a community college graduate, agreed. “There were times when my priorities needed to shift, and it was great to have opportunity to start with nine-month certificate program and add on later.”
Silva agrees: “Being successful, gives confidence, leads to more learning,” Silva said.