The ARCC Network brings together research teams from across the United States to explore strategies community colleges can use to bring back students who left during the COVID-19 pandemic, support their learning, and ensure they can succeed in the rapidly evolving post-pandemic economy.

Focused Research States

In addition to national research on enrollment and transfer trends and pandemic recovery spending, the ARCC Network will conduct surveys of community colleges and studies of pandemic recovery strategies in eight states. The ARCC Network includes six research teams and three lead organizations. Learn more about the teams and read their publications.

ARCC Network Projects

Enrollment and Transfer Trends

Spending of Federal Recovery Funds

Survey on Use of Federal Recovery Funds

Reengaging Tennessee Young Adults

California Safety Net Study

Florida Career and Tech Education

Virginia Workforce Recovery

Online Education in Los Angeles

California Community College Recovery

Latest Publications

Cover of Transfer and Progress report featuring a photo of two students wearing masks and talking in class.

NSC Research Center | March 2023

Cover of Current Term Enrollment Estimates: Fall 2022 report

NSC Research Center | February 2023

Wheelhouse infographic cover - enrollment/persistence

Wheelhouse | August 2022

ALL PUBLICATIONS

Community Colleges and the Pandemic

Community college enrollments stabilized in fall 2022 after falling about 16% from fall 2019.

There are one million fewer community college students than before the pandemic.

Community college freshman enrollment is up 6.6% from fall 2021.

The percentage of two-year public college students enrolled exclusively in online courses jumped from 15% to 47% in fall 2020 from fall 2019. Another 22% took some online courses.

In fall 2020, 28% of households with a community college student did not have a computer and 33% did not have internet.

About $19.3 billion in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds were allocated to public two-year colleges to respond to COVID-19.

What We’re Reading

Reports from the field on COVID recovery

California Community Colleges | February 2023

AERA Open | December 2022