Decrease in Community College Enrollment Increases Wealth Gap by Darcie Rickert

 Nationally community colleges have seen a large decrease in enrollment in the 2020-2021 school year as low-income students go to work and lack educational resources during the pandemic.

A 2020 Survey conducted by The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported 2-year colleges lost 10.1 percent of their average enrollment. Executive Director, Doug Shapiro spoke of the results stating, “the pandemic impacted high school graduates in their immediate college enrollment, and those from high poverty, low income, and urban high schools have been hit the hardest. The enrollment gaps appear to be widening because of COVID-19.” 

Low-income students have reported that a lack of Wifi, laptops, and the ability to learn virtually has deterred them from continuing in their higher education. Mary Parham of the American Association of Community Colleges added, "Recognizing that community college students are older, are working, and have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, the enrollment decline makes some sense.”

As the vaccine becomes more widely available, students will be able to return to campus. However, it does not mean those students will return. The Clearinghouse found that 13 percent of low-income college dropouts do not return to their education.  

Highlighting a real issue that widening enrollment gaps have a strong correlation with widening wealth gaps. NCAN’s, Bill De Baun's ultimate fear is, “This could be a lost generation of low-income students.”