California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy

In preparation for California Competes Council meeting, October 2013

Patterns of participation: California’s community colleges

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Who enrolls depends in part on the location and funding of community colleges…

…participation also depends on what the college offers and how it is promoted…

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…and it depends on many other factors too, including: The programs and

courses offered Class schedules Preparation and

advising at area high schools

Counseling by the college

Admissions and registration processes

Deadlines, waiting lists

Reputation of the college, the program, the instructors

Parking, traffic, and public transportation

Financial aid staffing and approach

Athletics Diversity, language Friends & relatives

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600 and above

500-600

400-500

300-400

Below 300

As a result of all of these factors and more, the intensity of community college enrollment varies across the state

FTE per 10,000 adults:

Highest

Lowest

Average

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What about need?

We should perhaps be concerned that Oakland’s impoverished Fruitvale area has only average community college participation.

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But it is neither surprising nor worrisome that relatively few people in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights area take community college classes.

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The interactive map allows us to show only the areas with greater need

Here, we exclude zip codes where a large proportion of the adults already have college degrees (40% of more with an associate’s degree or higher)

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L.A. – Inland – Orange showing all zips

Note of caution: geographically large areas like these up here often have very small populations

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L.A. – Inland – Orange low attainment zips only (<30%)

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Also needy but not going

High rates of CCC enrollment

50,000 adults, ¾ Black and Latino,only 18% with degrees.

26,000 adults, 39% Black and Latino,only 24% with degrees.

36,500 adults, 94% Black and Latino,only 9% with degrees.

In the high-enrollment zips, more than a third of the students are attending College of the Canyons 37 miles to the northwest!

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With the less needy areas now showing, you can see heavy participation from Santa Monica and Glendale. (Note: need is measured by community—the students from these areas are not necessarily less needy.)

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Orange County showing all zips

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Orange County low attainment zips only (<30%)

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Orange County high attainment zips only (>40%)

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Inland Empire all zips

CCC participation is much lower in the Inland Empire than in Orange County (see prior slides).

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Inland Empire low attainment zips only

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San Diego all zips

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San Diego low attainment zips only

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Fresno area all zips

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Bakersfield area all zips

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All zips

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Average and low attainment zips only (<40%)

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All zips

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Averageand low-attainmentareas

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Sacramento area all zips

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Sacramento area low attainment areas

only

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College location does make a difference, especially in more remote areas like these in far northern California

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Allzips

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Average and low attainment zips only (<40%)

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Santa Barbara all zips

All zips

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Average and low attainment zips only

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Draft policy recommendations Establish participation targets by area, taking

attainment and other need factors into consideration.

Create financial incentives for colleges to enroll and successfully serve adults from needy areas.

Allow colleges to establish locations outside of their technical district boundaries.

Enlist assistance from high schools and outreach programs in high-need low-participation areas.

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CCCparticipation@californiacompetes.org

@CalCompetes