The lack of in-person learning over the past year at California’s community colleges has also had a dramatic impact on enrollment. According to EdSource, it was down an average of 11 to 12-percent for the start of the fall semester, much higher than preliminary estimates of five to seven-percent. But the Executive Dean for the Sierra College campus in Grass Valley says things are looking up. Speaking on “KNCO: Insight”, Stephanie Ortiz says they’re gearing up a marketing campaign for a more traditional return of students to the classroom next fall…

EdSource says there are a number of reasons for the enrollment drop. That includes a lack of adequate internet access to take classes online. Or they may have been enrolled in programs that don’t translate well to distance learning…

Other likely reasons include older students being unable to take classes because they have children who are at home in distance learning. And students from low-income families may be working more hours because of lost wages in their family and they don’t have time to take classes.