System News | Opinion

Foster, homeless college students in WA could get more housing support

... State Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, is sponsoring Senate Bill 5702, which allows public institutions like community and technical colleges and four-year institutions to create their own plan to address the needs of their students from housing to food insecurity ... [South Puget Sound Community College, Highline College]
The Seattle Times, March 20, 2023

Peninsula College revamping its application, enrollment process

Peninsula College is removing one of the primary obstacles to application and enrollment by making mandatory placement tests optional for students. The college’s Board of Trustees learned about the plan at its meeting Tuesday ...
Peninsula Daily News, March 20, 2023

Lower Columbia College president column: Opportunity can’t wait when it comes to education

I believe in the power of opportunity and access to education. Communities with higher educational attainment rates tend to fare better across a variety of indicators. Education levels correlate with literacy, unemployment and household income statistics. [Lower Columbia College]
Daily News, March 19, 2023

New chancellor announced for Community Colleges of Spokane

Following a nationwide search, Community Colleges of Spokane (CCS) announced Friday it had selected a new Chancellor. CSS confirmed Dr. Kevin Brockback was picked to lead and mentor staff and students. He was chosen from a top list of four, and after several open forums were held by the finalists in early March.
KXLY, March 17, 2023

Big Bend looks to increase Mattawa offerings

Big Bend Community College is looking at expanding the college’s offerings in Mattawa, according to President Sara Thompson Tweedy during a meeting of the BBCC Board of Trustees on Wednesday.
Columbia Basin Herald, March 16, 2023

High school students can now get one-on-one help applying for federal student aid

Local high school seniors can now receive free one-on-one help with applying for student aid. Two new Peninsula College counselors are dedicated to assisting students with the sometimes daunting task of submitting their Free Application for Federal Student Aid ...
My Clallam County, March 16, 2023

Trends | Horizons | Education

Do work-based courses pay off after graduation?

Last month, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) released a new study on work-based learning. Work-based courses combine classroom instruction with hands-on training from highly skilled practitioners in high-demand sectors like healthcare and information technology.
Community College Daily, March 21, 2023

Decline in degree earners

College graduates earning an undergraduate credential fell last year for the first time in a decade, led by a significant drop in first-time graduates — especially among those attaining associate degrees, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Community College Daily, March 16, 2023

America's 'cataclysmic' drop in college enrollment

A growing number of American high schoolers are taking a look at college — and taking a pass. College enrollment for recent high school graduates rose for decades, peaking at 70.1 percent in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, before fluctuating for a decade — and plummeting 8 percent from 2019 to 2022, The Associated Press reports.
The Week, March 10, 2023

Politics | Local, State, National

Senate Republicans seek to block Biden's debt-relief plan

House and Senate Republicans are planning to introduce a resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan after the Government Accountability Office determined that the plan meets the definition of a rule under the Congressional Review Act.
Inside Higher Ed, March 20, 2023

Still hoping for free community college

Free community college is back in President Biden’s budget. Although Congress is unlikely to support the full $90 billion, experts hope for a smaller budget item to provide free programs for about 90,000 students a year.
Inside Higher Ed, March 17, 2023