This document analyzes patterns of community college participation across California. It finds that enrollment varies significantly based on factors like the location and funding of colleges, programs offered, outreach efforts, and demographics of local populations. Maps show community college enrollment rates relative to adult population and education levels by zip code. Many areas with large lower-income minority populations and fewer degree holders have lower-than-average enrollment rates, despite being located far from colleges. The document proposes recommendations to increase participation in needy low-enrollment areas, such as setting targets, incentives for colleges, expanding service areas, and improving high school outreach.

1. California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy
In preparation for California Competes Council meeting, October 2013
Patterns of participation:
California’s community colleges

2. Who enrolls depends in part on the location
and funding of community colleges…
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3. …participation also depends on what the
college offers and how it is promoted…

4. …and it depends on many other factors too,
including:
 The programs and
courses offered
 Class schedules
 Preparation and
advising at area high
schools
 Counseling by the
college
 Admissions and
registration processes
 Deadlines, waiting lists
 Reputation of the
college, the program,
the instructors
 Parking, traffic, and
public transportation
 Financial aid staffing
and approach
 Athletics
 Diversity, language
 Friends & relatives
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5. 600 and above
500-600
400-500
300-400
Below 300
As a result of all of these factors and more,
the intensity of community college
enrollment varies across the state
FTE per 10,000 adults:
Highest
Lowest
Average
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6. What about need?
We should perhaps
be concerned that
Oakland’s
impoverished
Fruitvale area has
only average
community college
participation.
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7. But it is neither
surprising nor
worrisome that
relatively few people
in San Francisco’s
tony Pacific Heights
area take community
college classes.
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8. The interactive map allows us to show only
the areas with greater need
Here, we exclude zip
codes where a large
proportion of the
adults already have
college degrees
(40% of more with an
associate’s degree or
higher)
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9. L.A. – Inland – Orange
showing all zips
Note of caution:
geographically large areas
like these up here often have
very small populations
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10. L.A. – Inland – Orange
low attainment zips only (<30%)
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11. Also needy but not going
High rates of CCC enrollment
50,000 adults, ¾ Black and Latino,
only 18% with degrees.
26,000 adults, 39% Black and Latino,
only 24% with degrees.
36,500 adults, 94%
Black and Latino,
only 9% with degrees.
In the high-enrollment zips, more than a
third of the students are attending
College of the Canyons 37 miles to the
northwest!
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12. With the less needy areas now showing,
you can see heavy participation from
Santa Monica and Glendale. (Note: need
is measured by community—the students
from these areas are not necessarily less
needy.)
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13. Orange County
showing all zips
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14. Orange County
low attainment zips only (<30%)
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15. Orange County
high attainment zips only (>40%)
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16. Inland Empire
all zips
CCC participation is much lower in the
Inland Empire than in Orange County
(see prior slides).
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17. Inland Empire
low attainment zips only
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18. San Diego
all zips
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19. San Diego
low attainment zips only
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20. Fresno area all zips
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21. Bakersfield area all zips
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22. All
zips
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23. Average and low
attainment zips only (<40%)
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24. All
zips
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25. Average
and low-
attainment
areas
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26. Sacramento area all zips
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27. Sacramento area low
attainment areas only
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28. College location does
make a difference,
especially in more remote
areas like these in far
northern California
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29. All
zips
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30. Average and low
attainment zips only (<40%)
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31. Santa Barbara all zips
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32. All
zips
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33. Average
and low
attainment
zips only
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34. Draft policy recommendations
 Establish participation targets by area, taking
attainment and other need factors into consideration.
 Create financial incentives for colleges to enroll and
successfully serve adults from needy areas.
 Allow colleges to establish locations outside of their
technical district boundaries.
 Enlist assistance from high schools and outreach
programs in high-need low-participation areas.
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35. CCCparticipation@californiacompetes.org
@CalCompetes
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