Higher education enrollments fell overall to new lows during the spring 2021 semester, according to new data released by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. In just one year, the U.S. experienced a decline of 3.5 percent, or 603,000 students, from the previous year, seven times worse than the decline a year earlier.

Perhaps the hardest hit sector in higher education, community colleges have the steepest road toward recovery in closing their enrollment, persistence, retention, and completion gaps—especially among students of color and low-income students. According to a recent article published by the American Association of Community Colleges, community college persistence rates dropped 3.5 percentage points to 58.5 percent—the largest decline in all institution sectors. Retention rates also declined the most in the community college sector, down 2.1 percentage points to 51.6 percent. And community college enrollment dropped the most from low-income high schools.

In reflection of these realities for our nation’s community colleges, now is the time to integrate new ideas, new technologies, new mindsets, and a new commitment toward the removal of every barrier to student success. The next generation of community college presidents—myself included—must ensure we are empowering our faculty and staff to take our institutions to new heights and realize the full potential of our respective institutional missions and visions for our students.

Community college educators stand on the front lines of our communities, doing work that helps to eliminate poverty and realize an equitable future. However, without sufficient institutional resources and supports, our front lines will essentially succumb to the firing line.

Below are three key points for community colleges to consider beyond the pandemic:

  • Renewed Commitment to Technology Integrations
  • Renewed Commitment to Telework and Alternative Work Scheduling
  • Commitment to the Rebound of Our Communities and Industry

Read the full article about technology and workplace innovation in community colleges by Mordecai I. Brownlee at EdSurge.