New Data: Sharp Declines in Community College Enrollment Are Being Driven By Disappearing Male Students
The latest release of college enrollment figures this month has brought alarming news to educators. The significant decline in enrollment at community colleges, particularly among male students, has raised concerns. The extent of the decline varies across different community colleges. However, Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis has seen a particularly dramatic decrease. In the spring of 2020, half of the Black male students who were still working towards graduation did not return for the fall semester. This amounts to around 830 men who did not re-enroll, out of a total student enrollment of 10,227, with 63 percent of students being from minority backgrounds.
Community college leaders at institutions like Southwest have put forward various theories to explain the disappearance of male students. One possibility is that many young men were forced to prioritize taking on jobs to support their families. Others may have always been academically vulnerable and could not overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. Online applications and courses, as well as the lack of necessary technology, may have also hindered some students’ ability to continue their education.
One frequently mentioned factor is the disruption caused by the abrupt closure of K-12 schools in the spring, which disconnected students from the college advisors who play a crucial role in guiding them towards higher education. This has had a particularly significant impact on first-time freshmen, who experienced a staggering decline of nearly 19 percent, marking a significant increase compared to the pre-pandemic dropout rate.
Although these observations hold some validity, they are predominantly anecdotal rather than research-based. The recent plummet in male enrollment at community colleges, as revealed in the November data update, is a relatively new development, and there is a collective effort to understand its underlying causes.
To address this issue, Southwest College has established a task force comprising male faculty and staff members. Their aim is to reach out to the 830 men who left the institution and identify the barriers they faced, while also providing assistance for their re-enrollment. Jacqueline Faulkner, the vice president for student affairs at Southwest, emphasized that these men initially enrolled in college with the intention to succeed, not to drop out.
Nationally, the data collected by the National Student Clearinghouse reveals that the largest proportion of losses in enrollment comes from Black males, with a decline of 19.2 percent compared to the previous fall. Hispanic males follow closely behind, experiencing a decrease of 16.6 percent. Interestingly, white males also suffered a significant decline of 14 percent.
Native American students saw the largest drop at 20 percent, although their enrollment accounts for just 0.6 percent of the total student body, in contrast to the nearly 10 percent of Black students.
Community college leaders have echoed the previously mentioned theories when discussing the reasons behind these declines. Rick Miranda, the vice president for academic affairs at Cerritos College in the Los Angeles area, pointed out that the majority of their students come from Hispanic households, where there is an expectation for men to contribute financially.
For example, David Rosales, a student at Cerritos, had to make the difficult decision to drop out when his family faced financial challenges due to the pandemic. His sister lost her job, and his mother’s hours at work were reduced due to illness. Rosales accepted a full-time job as a security guard to support his family and put his studies on hold. However, he plans to resume his marketing studies in January.
In Memphis, there appear to be significant technical and financial obstacles. A survey conducted at Southwest College revealed that only 35 percent of students had the necessary technology to successfully engage in online courses. To address this issue, the college purchased and distributed 3,500 laptops. Additionally, state and federal pandemic funds were utilized to increase the emergency assistance fund from the usual $100,000 to $500,000. This financial aid went towards tuition, as well as providing assistance for food, housing, and preventing utility cutoffs.
While the expected arrival of the vaccine may restore some sense of normalcy, leading to the return of males to their college and career paths, few college leaders anticipate a complete return to pre-pandemic conditions.
Nationally, the decline in male enrollment suggests two distinct trends. The first is a concerning one, which may result in the loss of an entire generation of males from low-income and working-class families. Although Black males make up a substantial portion of this group, it is important to pay attention to the high rates of disappearance among white males as well.
Up until now, the main focus of the Black Lives Matter movement has been on the issue of policing. However, there is a possibility that it may shift its attention towards education and job opportunities.
The second trend mentioned is not something to be feared. According to leaders of community colleges, the COVID-19 pandemic has expedited a trend that was already emerging before the crisis. This trend emphasizes the importance of acquiring job-specific training, whether or not it leads to college credit or a degree.
This trend is observed in Louisiana, where there were only small decreases in enrollment at South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, which has strong programs in maritime and computer science. In contrast, there were significant declines in enrollment at Louisiana Delta Community College in Monroe, where the focus is more on earning degree credits. Monty Sullivan, the president of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System, pointed out this difference in emphasis.
Sullivan, who also serves as the board chair of the National Student Clearinghouse, closely monitors these developments at both the state and national level. He notes that there is a movement of students who are making choices based on their own interests. They are engaging with colleges, but they are not necessarily following the traditional semester system. They do not have the luxury of spending four years to complete a degree. Instead, they need to acquire a set of skills that will enable them to find employment and receive a paycheck.
The decrease in male enrollment cannot be solely attributed to the immediate need to find jobs. After all, wouldn’t women also be searching for employment? Part of the explanation lies in the fact that different fields of study have different gender compositions. For example, healthcare jobs, which tend to attract more women than men, often require traditional degrees.
However, there is another factor at play here, as highlighted by college leaders. This factor is one that I encountered 11 years ago during my research on the topic of Why Boys Fail: Saving our Sons from an Educational System That’s Leaving Them Behind. I discovered that the K-12 education system had suddenly shifted its focus towards promoting literacy skills at a very young age, a time when boys are typically less proficient in handling such demands compared to girls. The intention behind this shift was to set students on an early path towards college. However, educators failed to adjust to the gender differences in early learning.
While many boys, particularly those from middle- and upper-income families, were able to quickly adapt and catch up in terms of literacy skills before finishing elementary school, there were also many who were not able to do so. As a result, they concluded that school was more suited for girls. This helps to explain the phenomenon of fewer men than women enrolling in college, and fewer men possessing the necessary advanced literacy skills required in college, regardless of their chosen major. Consequently, these men become more vulnerable and less resilient as students.
The impact of this issue was experienced by all boys, including white boys from working-class families. However, the group that suffered the most were Black males, who often faced additional obstacles such as living in dangerous neighborhoods, attending troubled schools, and coming from less stable family environments. The pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.
Ivan Harrell II, the president of Tacoma Community College in Washington state, acknowledges the profound impact of the pandemic on marginalized populations. These populations were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and are now facing the added responsibility of supporting their families, which forces them to temporarily step away from pursuing education.
In conclusion, the Black Lives Matter movement may shift its focus towards education and employment. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a trend in community colleges that emphasizes job-specific training. Additionally, the gender disparity in college enrollment and literacy skills can be attributed to a failure in addressing early-learning differences between boys and girls. This issue has particularly affected Black males who face unique challenges. The pandemic has only worsened the situation, placing even more strain on marginalized communities.
