Enrollment appears to be increasing for California community colleges after pandemic declines from 2020 to 2022, according to a recent memo from the state chancellor’s office.
According to the memo, several campuses across the state ranging from those in San Diego to San Jose are reporting double-digit increases this fall. While statewide data for the start of the school year aren’t yet available, the chancellor reported enrollment went up this past spring by 8 percent across the system of 116 community colleges.
Some college officials said career-focused programs, like trade schools and certifications for professions like electricians, were the main drivers behind the enrollment growth.
“In conversations with CEOs for fall 2023, I’m hearing good news, positive trends,” Sonya Christian, the statewide chancellor for the system, said during a board of governors meeting earlier this week.
Additionally, according to the memo, the chancellor’s office reported that community colleges saw “a meaningful positive enrollment outlook” for the first time in over five years.
However, numbers for spring are still down 16 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to the memo, with students between the ages of 20 and 24 down by 27 percent and those between 25 and 34 down 22 percent.
Her plan also calls for enrolling more low-income adults, who Ms. Christian said have been historically left behind by the system. She said she also wants colleges to further expand dual enrollment by having every high school student take a college class.
