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Illinois community colleges see enrollment growth

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Illinois

Community colleges in Illinois are seeing their largest year-over-year enrollment growth in nearly 15 years this spring.

Figures released this week by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) showed Spring 2023 enrollment increased by 7.2 percent from the previous spring. according to the board’s Spring 2023 Enrollment Report.

The enrollment, however, was 11.8 percent below the statewide figures in 2019. Illinois community colleges in 2019 listed 283,146 students. The Spring 2022 figure was 233,041; this year the enrollment is 249,836.

The report lists 3,992 Spring 2023 students at Lewis and Clark Community College, up 9.2 percent from 3,656 last spring but down 36.6 percent from the 6,301 students enrolled in Spring 2019.

* From the ICCB report…

Significant findings from the ICCB Fall 2023 Community College Opening Enrollment Report include:

• Fall 2023 headcount enrollments (+5.7 percent) and Full-time Equivalents (FTE) enrollments (+5.2 percent) both increased significantly from the previous year.

• Thirty-six community colleges experienced an increase in headcount enrollment from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, while twelve community colleges had a decrease.

• Instructional areas often dependent on in-person instruction increased headcount enrollments in Career and Technical Education (+10.4 percent) and Vocational Skills Training (+6.3%) in Fall 2023 compared to the previous year. Student enrollment in Transfer programs also had an uptick compared to the previous year with an increase of 1.8 percent.

• Adult Education, which is also mostly dependent on in-person instruction, increased headcount by 20.8 percent from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023. Adult Education serves a significant number of at-risk students, and the pandemic exacerbated issues for that population.

• For Dual Credit, which allows academically prepared high school students to simultaneously earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and a college degree, headcount enrollments increased 8.4 percent in Fall 2023 compared to Fall 2022.

• While the number of distance education students decreased in Fall 2023 as compared to the previous year, it remains a prevalent and flexible form of course delivery with 42.3 percent of students enrolling in at least one online course in the current Fall as compared to Fall 2019 (pre-pandemic) at 24.3 percent.

* WRSP…

Richland Community College is reporting an almost 7% increase in Fall 2023 enrollment as the Illinois Community College Board sees the second largest fall-to-fall enrollment increase in 30 years.

This fall, Illinois community colleges saw a 5.7% increase in headcount between Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 enrollment – which is the second largest fall-to-fall enrollment growth in the last 30 years. Only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.4 percent during the Great Recession was higher.

The increase in enrollment is reflected at Richland – where the fall-to-fall growth from 2022 to 2023 is 6.7%.

This growth can be credited to a number of initiatives with community/government partners in the past year – including the Illinois Works’ Pre-Apprenticeship Program, the Earn While You Learn EMT program (a partnership with Abbott EMS), the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program, and many others.

* WAND…

The fiscal year 2024 budget includes a seven percent increase in operating funds or $19.4 million more for community colleges than the previous year—the highest increase in two decades. It also includes a $100 million increase in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) that when combined with the federal Pell grant, provides working class families with an opportunity for a free community college education. […]

Statewide enrollment data shows 36 community colleges experienced an increase in headcount enrollment from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, while just 12 community colleges had a decrease.

* WSIU looks at more…

But, it was a different story across the institutions serving southern Illinois.

Kaskaskia and Southeastern Illinois Colleges saw modest increases in enrollment, but John A. Logan, Rend Lake and Shawnee Colleges all reported fewer students from Fall 2022.

It was also a mixed bag for the Illinois Eastern Community College system with a major increase at Frontier Community College and a small one at Olney Central, but there were enrollment declines at Lincoln Trail and Wabash Valley.

posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 12:42 pm

Comments

Provided that students select courses approved as a part of the Illinois Articulation Agreement (credit hours earned with passing grades) which are readily transferable to other Illinois colleges of universities, community colleges offer students a terrific opportunity to save big dollars in terms of tuition. Many students are opting to complete the first year or two locally rather than enrolling at universities immediately after high school. It makes good economic sense.

Comment by Gravitas Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 12:58 pm
This is great news. Education certainly has a friend in the state’s government. It is one of the keys to economic growth, and it’s good for society to have more educated people.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 1:08 pm
College of DuPage is the closest one to us and it’s a terrific school. Have taken half a dozen or so courses there over the years.

Comment by workingfromhome Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 1:11 pm
==Only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.4 percent during the Great Recession was higher.==

Community college headcount was a little over 383,000 in 2009. It was consistently well over 300K in the 2000s. Where did everyone go?

Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 2:55 pm
===Where did everyone go?===

Four year schools?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 2:56 pm
==Where did everyone go?==

There are fewer “everyones” in that age group, but also I believe the student loan debt disaster has kept some students away from college in general.

Comment by Vote Quimby Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 4:04 pm
https://knocking.wiche.edu/dashboards-profiles/

You may have to select Illinois, but since about 2010 Illinois high school graduates are down about 20,000 and that’s going to continue

It’s good news Illinois has had some small increases and remember the community colleges also offer a lot of terminal degrees and certificates for those that aren’t going to a four year.

Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 4:35 pm
The College of Lake County changed my life. I preach to anyone who will listen about the benefits of community colleges.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Oct 31, 23 @ 5:34 pm