California Community Colleges’ Lowest Enrollment in 30 Years
Sara Weissman
November 21, 2022
New data show enrollment in California community colleges is at its lowest point in 30 years, the Los Angeles Times reported. The system has lost about 300,000 students since 2019, an 18 percent enrollment decrease.
College of the Siskiyous in Northern California had the largest percentage drop, a 44 percent decline, from 3,371 students in 2019 to 1,882 students in 2021. Larger urban colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District also underwent staggering declines over the same time period. Total enrollment in the district fell 28 percent. Los Angeles Southwest College suffered a 32 percent enrollment drop, while East Los Angeles College lost 22 percent of its student body.
Enrollment among Native American and Black students fell the most steeply, 25.8 percent and 20.9 percent, respectively, the Los Angeles Times reported. Filipino enrollment dropped 19.8 percent, and Latino enrollment fell 18 percent. The system also lost almost a third of its students over the age of 55.
