US community colleges see ‘chilling’ decline in enrollment during pandemic

Experts worried about long-term impact on low-income and non-white Americans, populations community colleges tend to serve

David Ramirez, a student at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California, struggled with balancing work and classes during the pandemic. Ramirez, who works at Starbucks, worked at least 30 hours a week in addition to his classes.

He wasn't alone. The number of students enrolled in community colleges - local educational establishments that offer two-year courses and are often seen as an affordable stepping stone to higher education - was down 9.5% this past spring, about 476,000 fewer students than in spring 2020, according to National Student Clearinghouse data released last month.

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