New data released by the Bureau of Community Colleges as part of its annual Fall Enrollment Report shows that the total 2024 fall enrollment at Iowa's 15 community colleges has increased across both full-time and part-time students.

The report details that overall enrollment has increased by 1.4 percent since the 2023 report, with 86,582 total students enrolled.

The enrollment gains account for part-time and full-time enrollment increasing by 1.5 and 1.3 percent, respectively, with part-time students accounting for a record-high 66.7 percent of total enrollment. Of Iowa's 15 community colleges, nine reported increases in enrollment.

Joint enrollment continued to see increases with a 2.3 percent increase this year, on the heels of a 7.9 percent increase the year before. Online enrollment also continued to see surges with online enrollment increasing by 4.9 percent with online credit hours seeing gains of 5.8 percent. Overall, online enrollment as a percentage of total enrollment increased by 1.7 percent to 50.8 percent. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, online enrollment as a percentage of total enrollment registered just 38.2 percent. 

The report also finds enrollment gains in minority, economically disadvantaged and female students.

For more information on the annual Fall Enrollment Report, contact Bureau of Community Colleges Chief Amy Gieseke at amy.gieseke@iowa.gov.

The Iowa Department of Education's Bureau of Iowa College Aid recently published its annual Career and Technical Education Scholarship and Grant Programs report for fiscal year 2024.

The analysis of the Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant (Kibbie Grant), Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant and the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship details the recipients, demographics, funding history, programs of study and career clusters for each of the programs. 

During fiscal year 2024, 20,943 Iowans applied for Kibbie and Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grants, while 21,381 Iowans applied for the Future Ready Last-Dollar Scholarship. A total of 9,503 received at least one of the grants, while 1,723 received all three. 

Healthcare fields received the highest percentage of students who received any of the three grants with 37.3 percent of Kibble Grant students, 35.5 percent of Vocational-Technical Grant students and 38 percent of Last-Dollar Scholarship students pursuing education and training in the field. Information technology was the second-most popular career cluster. 

For more information on the Career and Technical Education Scholarship and Grant Programs report, contact Bureau of Iowa College Aid Section Chief Todd Brown at todd.brown@iowa.gov.

The most recent Pathways Pillars in Practice webinar featured DMACC's Carl Lindberg and Megan Snook-Lautner presenting on using a student-centered lens for implementing pathways and facilitating conversations with groups on how each role contributes to guided pathways in all four pillars.

Recordings are available here if you missed this session or any others.

SAVE THE DATE
Please join us for the next Pathways Pillars in Practice webinar on Feb. 6 at noon. Staff from Northwest Community College will present on placement and co-requisite remediation.

For more information, contact Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness Education Program Consultant Kelly Friesleben at kelly.friesleben@iowa.gov.

Starting in early 2025, the Bureau of Iowa College Aid is accepting new applications for Local College and Career Access Networks (LCAN).

Through grant support from the Bureau of Iowa College Aid, LCANs aim to increase college attainment by funding an LCAN Coordinator, travel, training and other costs associated with creating the network and carrying out LCAN initiatives.

Each LCAN assesses the assets and needs of its community and works to fill the gaps in partnership with local colleges, school districts, area education agencies, business groups, elected officials, employers and community, and religious organizations. LCANs identify multiple community goals that focus on increasing college attainment.

In order to be eligible to apply, communities must identify an organization with 501(c) status to serve as fiscal agent on the reimbursement-based grant. Strong 501(c) organizations to serve as fiscal agents are:

• Embedded in the community with the ability to convene cross-sector leaders
• Fiscally sound with robust financial operations; and
• Strong in their capacity for grants administration

Applications will be accepted through Iowagrants.gov from Jan. 28 through Feb. 28, 2025, for grants beginning July 1, 2025.

Congratulations to Section Chief for Career and Technical Education Dennis Harden, who has announced his retirement from the Department. Harden's last day is Dec. 19.

Harden joined the Department in Jan. 2020, and spearheaded Iowa's career and technical education efforts to build Iowa's talent pipeline and meet workforce needs.

Before joining the Department, Harden served at the Missouri Department of Education for more than 32 years, with the last two decades as the Coordinator of Career Education.

The nominating period for the 2024-25 Golden Owl Award honoring excellence in agriculture education is open for submissions through Dec. 1.

Sponsored by the Iowa FFA Foundation, Nationwide Insurance and other partners in agriculture, the annual Golden Owl Award celebrates the outstanding work of agriculture education leaders in Iowa. Students, fellow teachers, faculty and other partners are invited to submit nominations for exceptional ag educators who have made a difference.

For more information, on the Golden Owl Award, contact Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness Education Program Consultant Alan Spencer at alan.spencer@iowa.gov.

Additionally, the deadline for The State Park and Institutional Roads Program is Dec. 13. The program provides funding to construct, reconstruct, improve and maintain roadways, including bridges, within the boundaries of state-owned lands or community college property.

If interested in participating in this program, complete the application form for State Park and Institutional Road funds for the calendar year 2030.

For more information on the State Park and Institutional Road run, contact Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness Education Program Consultant Jeff Fletcher at jeffrey.fletcher@iowa.gov.