Life in the Valley Economy 2010 - Working Partnerships USA

Pursuing the Dream: Indicator 2: Higher Education
FINDINGS: HIGHER EDUCATION
COLLEGE-GOING RATE
Dramatically fewer high school graduates go
on to college in 2008; this unprecedented
drop is due to a sharp reduction in recent
graduates’ access to community colleges
Throughout the 1990s, more than half of all high
school graduates in Santa Clara County went directly
on to college. In the 2000s this college-going rate began
to decline, falling below 50% in 2005 for the first time in
more than twenty years before rebounding somewhat
in 2006 and 2007. (See Figure 5.6.)
This small but promising growth was abruptly
reversed in 2008 when the college-going rate dropped
form 52.5% to 36.5% - meaning that nearly two-thirds
of the graduating class of 2008 did not go on to college. 12
A one-year drop of this magnitude is unprecedented.
Its source can be found in a confluence of factors
that came together to push recent graduates out
of California’s community colleges. Nearly all of
the decline in college attendance is due to a fall in
enrollment at community colleges, which went from
receiving 19.5% of all Santa Clara County graduating
seniors (3,343 students) in 2007 to just 7.0% (1,274
students) in 2008.
Community college enrollment overall did not
drop in 2008 – in fact, statewide enrollment increased
by 10.2% between fall 2007 and fall 2008. 13 However,
the state provided only enough funding for a 2%
enrollment increase, leaving community colleges
scrambling to rearrange budgets and schedules.
Budget cuts and fee increases at the University of
California and California State University systems
also induced greater numbers of students to turn
to the more affordable community colleges rather
than UC or CSU. Finally, the deteriorating economy
meant that freshly minted high school graduates were
competing for limited community college class space
with thousands of laid-off workers seeking training
that would give them an edge in the job market.
As a result, in spring 2009 De Anza College opened
up the first day of spring registration with 8,000 out
of 24,000 applicants unable to enroll in the classes
they needed. By quickly rearranging schedules and
cutting 152 less popular classes, De Anza managed
to create class space for 5,000 of those, but 3,000 were
still turned away. 14
The same scene was repeated in fall 2009, with
300 De Anza classes cut and 8,438 students unable
to get into classes. 15 Across the county and the state,
community colleges saw the impacts of increased
demand combined with decreased funding. Over the
last two school years, California community colleges
have been hit by state budget cuts
totaling $840 million. 16 In 2009-10
these cuts have led to enrollment
declines of 1% statewide and 3.3%
in the Foothill-De Anza district,
as colleges are forced to cut classes
despite rising demand. 17
Along with still-deeper cuts
to community colleges, recent
decreases in state funding for
the California State University
and University of California
systems may result in even fewer
graduates making it to college in
2010. In fall 2010 the CSU system
anticipates having to turn away
45,000 eligible applicants. 18
San Jose State University is
particularly vulnerable. It has
already been hard hit; in fall
2009, one-third of total student enrollment cuts to
the 23-campus CSU system fell on SJSU alone. 19 San
Jose State was able to accept all eligible students from
Santa Clara County high schools, 20 but rejected 8,700
applicants from outside the county or seeking transfers
– the first time ever that qualified students were turned
away. 21
In preparation for proposed 2010-11 state budget
cuts, San Jose State in March 2010 released plans to cut
enrollment by an additional 2,500 students; combined
with rising demand, this could mean a much larger
number of qualified applicants will be turned away.
Inadequate funding in
2009 forced De Anza
College to turn away
over 11,000 students
who could not get into
needed classes, while
San Jose State rejected
8,700 qualified
applicants.
Page 108
Working Partnerships USA