Community College Insights

Recently released evidence from the NCES indicates the prevalence of personal and educational disruptions on community college students, but more detailed data would be needed to see the entire picture.

As we wrap up data collection for 2024 and prepare to release our results in November, this post highlights what we've done so far, what we're working on, and future plans for the project.

Initial IPEDS estimates show community colleges serve almost 75 percent of dually enrolled students nationwide, and there is significant variation across states, institution types, and student demographics.

The credential-jobs misalignment among middle-skill workers has an impact on the economy, causing inefficiencies in employer-employee matching. Rethinking how community colleges and universities approach transfer agreements could provide better alignment.

With an anticipated decline in the college-age population, high costs of four-year degrees, and changing demands among employers, parents, and students, higher education seems to be at a crossroads.

College degree attainment is associated with higher labor force participation, and although better data is needed to understand fully, this seems to also be true for those who have some college but no degree.

Community colleges serve students in many ways depending on their educational goals, so much of the value these institutions provide for their communities is overlooked when measuring success.

The looming FAFSA crisis has continued into June, likely leading to a decrease in enrollments for grant and federal loan dependent schools. In turn, community colleges may see an enrollment increase.

Historically, most higher education state and local spending has gone to four-year institutions. As community colleges play an increasing role in training workers for high-demand jobs, have funding patterns kept up?

Issues surrounding the new FAFSA form have led to a sharp decline in form completions for the coming academic year. This could result in overall enrollment declines across higher education, but it is likely to hit some groups of students and institutions harder than others.