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Special Reports
Special Report

California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads

Called the “engine of opportunity,” California’s community colleges have offered millions a pathway to higher education and job skills. The pandemic upended that promise as enrollment plunged to a 30-year low. This disruption triggered historic losses for nearly all of the 115 campuses pushing them to change their offerings to meet student demands.
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
November 18, 2022

California community colleges eye a different future amid pandemic disruption

The record pandemic-fueled loss in enrollment has put California Community Colleges at a turning point amid student demands for flexible classes, jobs training and easier paths to universities.

Michael Burke, Daniel J. Willis, EdSource; Debbie Truong, Los Angeles Times
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
November 18, 2022

Enrollment drop varies at colleges statewide

See interactive map showing enrollment drops for each of the 115 community colleges.

Yuxuan Xie
College & Careers
September 30, 2022

How should California address college student housing crisis?

Tens of thousands of college students in California are homeless or without stable housing. During an EdSource roundtable, panelists said more dorms will help but called for other solutions too.

Michael Burke
Community Colleges
April 5, 2022

Community colleges on track for $100 million to improve cybersecurity

California community colleges may be in line for a $100 million cybersecurity upgrade to thwart scammers who have attempted to fraudulently enroll and get financial aid.

Michael Burke
Community Colleges
March 22, 2022

California community college officials eye new rule forcing districts to hand over data

Recently, some California community colleges have not handed over data on enrollment and application fraud to state officials, who are now looking to force their hand.

Michael Burke
Community Colleges
September 21, 2021

California Community Colleges seek $100 million in tech upgrades, in part to tighten security after bot attacks

California's community college system is asking for money to overhaul its online application portal that fraudulent students were able to bypass in financial aid scam attempts.

Michael Burke
Following Covid Money in Education
September 7, 2021

Bot attacks compound enrollment data problems at California Community Colleges

The California Community Colleges system has been unable to provide student enrollment totals for fall 2020 or spring 2021, even before bots enrolled fake students.

Thomas Peele, Daniel J. Willis, Larry Gordon, And Michael Burke
Investigation
June 15, 2021

California community colleges lose students to more expensive for-profit colleges

Community colleges face calls to do more as Black, Native American and Pacific Islander students enroll in for-profit colleges at alarming rates.

Thomas Peele
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
April 12, 2021

California's community colleges at critical crossroads as more students opt not to attend

Enrollment at California's community colleges has plummeted during the pandemic creating uncertainty for some colleges. Online classes, job loss and child care are among the reasons students have not enrolled.

Michael Burke And Daniel J. Willis
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
April 12, 2021

Why students are not attending California's community colleges

The pandemic upended enrollment across California's community colleges. Students dropped out or elected not to enroll after facing problems with child care, jobs, family illness and frustration with taking courses online.

By Melanie Gerner, Abraham Navarro, Taylor Helmes, Iman Palm and Jasmine Nguyen
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
April 12, 2021

Map: Most California community colleges saw drops in student head counts

Explore the falling rates of student head counts at California community colleges with this interactive map.

Yuxuan Xie
California's Community Colleges: At a Crossroads
April 12, 2021

Database: California's community colleges student head count changes

Most California community colleges show drops in enrollment from fall 2019 to fall 2020

Daniel J. Willis
Community Colleges
April 9, 2021

California Community Colleges chancellor urges caution in reopening

Eloy Ortiz Oakley, the chancellor overseeing California's 116 community colleges, discusses fall 2021 classes and enrollment declines in interview with EdSource.

Michael Burke And Louis Freedberg