BY: Amy Loyd, ED.L.D., Assistant Secretary, OCTAE
The American postsecondary schooling system has seen many transformations, however none so democratic and revolutionary because the founding of the primary group faculty in Joliet, Illinois in 1901. Then-president of the College of Chicago William Harper Rainey, and several other different influential college presidents, have been satisfied that for America to develop and prosper, an accessible pathway was wanted to open postsecondary schooling to all. Consequently, group faculties have been born.
Within the 123 years because the founding of Joliet Junior Faculty, the group faculty second unfold to embody almost each group within the nation, now numbering 1,022 faculties. Initially targeted on creating schooling and coaching alternatives past highschool, as we speak’s group faculties span the gamut from highschool twin enrollment to non-credit workforce coaching, business certificates, registered apprenticeships, affiliate levels—and in 24 states, now additionally baccalaureate levels. Through the 2020-21 college yr, 8,871,746 college students attended group faculties, representing about 43.7 p.c of undergraduate scholar enrollment. Neighborhood faculty college students are also among the many extra numerous in postsecondary schooling.
The Biden-Harris Administration is aware of that group faculties are crucial companions in constructing the center class, and thru Investing in America, our Administration is looking for to additional allow group faculties to be the engine that may rework our financial system and future workforce in sustainable and renewable vitality, semiconductor manufacturing, EVs and next-generation batteries, and a bunch of different industries. In brief, group faculties are constructing pathways to the longer term.
I’m proud to guide on behalf of group faculties right here on the Division of Training, and to rejoice April as Nationwide Neighborhood Faculty Month. Along with my colleagues within the Division, now we have rededicated our efforts to serve the sector and to raise the crucial function our group faculties play. Because the Biden-Harris Administration took workplace in January 2021, the President, First Girl Dr. Jill Biden, Cupboard Secretaries, and different senior leaders have visited dozens and dozens of group faculties to see and expertise firsthand the transformative energy these establishments are unleashing for folks of all ages all through hundreds of communities.
I’ve visited many group faculties throughout my tenure with the Division. One of many first was to Macomb Neighborhood Faculty’s spectacular M-TEC (Michigan Technical Training Heart) in Warren, MI; with over forty thousand sq. toes of cutting-edge workforce growth in built-in manufacturing, robotics, automated methods, and CAD—all resulting in nice jobs in in-demand fields. I additionally had the consideration of attending Salish Kootenai Faculty’s commencement in Pablo, MT; the place we noticed the ability of a Tribal faculty to empower the longer term and advance Tribal sovereignty and self-determination by way of schooling, graduating college students from certificates packages by way of affiliate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate levels. And I used to be thrilled to go to Pima Neighborhood Faculty in Tucson, AZ, to study their glorious Built-in Primary Training and Expertise Coaching (IBEST) packages resulting in rewarding careers for grownup learners, and I participated of their NC3 signing day with lots of of scholars, their members of the family, and enterprise and business leaders committing to and celebrating the rewarding profession pathways that college students are pursuing. From coast to coast, from rural to city, I’ve seen numerous examples of how our nation’s group faculties are reworking lives, constructing our workforce, and strengthening our communities.
Due to such visits and thru conferences with group faculty leaders right here on the Division, we’re working diligently to raise group faculties and facilitate their entry to crucial sources all through the federal household. As an illustration, we’re enhancing our details about Division of Training and different company funding alternatives for group faculties. We might be curating and including analysis and reviews that seize the breadth, attain, and influence of group faculties to tell the general public concerning the sector.
The Administration additionally continues its efforts round faculty affordability. We’re working to unfold tuition-free group faculty. We have now known as on Congress as soon as once more to approve our federal-state partnership plan for creating, increasing, and/or sustaining free group faculty tuition as a part of the Administration’s Fiscal 12 months 2025 finances launched on March 11th. Thirty-three states now supply free tuition packages, whereas native Promise packages have grown to over 425. We’ll showcase examples of statewide packages to assist inform policymakers and academic leaders concerning the scope and number of approaches to advance faculty affordability and entry to profession and technical schooling pathways for highschool graduates.
We are also working to handle scholar wants – psychological well being, entry to SNAP, Medicaid, and different helps – and to advance Secretary Cardona’s Elevate the Bar: Lead the World technique and imaginative and prescient. OCTAE launched its Unlocking Profession Success initiative final yr, with 4 nationwide convenings held in group faculties throughout the nation. In help of Unlocking Profession Success, we introduced the primary 19 grantees for our new Profession-Linked Excessive Faculties, which heart group faculties as core companions and leaders for reworking schooling. This grant program is looking for to blur the traces and combine pathways between excessive faculties, group faculties, and high-growth, high-wage careers.
In observance of Nationwide Neighborhood Faculty Month, we’ll submit extra blogs from a group faculty chief and a scholar whose profession has been reworked by way of their faculty. We invite you to rejoice with us by uplifting your experiences and connections to group faculties. Collectively, we are able to elevate the work of those establishments as they proceed to remodel our nation and supply highly effective pathways to the longer term.
