Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “Foundation Launches $35 million Program to Help Boost Community College Graduation Rates“:

WASHINGTON — Melinda Gates today announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is investing $34.8 million over five years to help dramatically increase the graduation rates of today’s community college students. The Completion by Design program will award competitive grants to groups of community colleges to devise and implement new approaches to make the college experience more responsive to today’s student.

“Most students today who are pursuing an education beyond high school are also balancing the demands of work and family,” Gates said. “Yet colleges haven’t adapted to this new reality. Completion by Design will give enterprising colleges the resources they need to pursue what works for students.”

Lumina Foundation, “New $1,000,000 Aspen Prize to Reward Community College Excellence“:

Washington, DC, October 5, 2010 — A $1,000,000 prize competition to recognize community colleges with outstanding academic and workforce outcomes was announced today by the President at the White House Community College Summit. The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence is a project of the Aspen Institute, in partnership with the Joyce Foundation, the Lumina Foundation for Education, Bank of America Charitable Foundation and the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, and was designed in cooperation with senior officials from the Obama Administration.

The Chronicle of Higher Education provided helpful context about White House planning, community college reaction, and the foundations’ important involvement when it previewed Monday’s White House Summit on Community Colleges, “Historic White House Summit to Put Community Colleges in the Spotlight.”

George R. Boggs, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), prepared a briefing paper for the White House Summit on Community Colleges, “Democracy’s Colleges: The Evolution of the Community College in America.”

Page 10 is headed, “A Skilled Workforce Is Key to Economic Recovery and Future Competitiveness.” Excerpt:

The current economic recession has underscored the essential role that community colleges play in preparing the nation’s workforce. As the economy faltered, community college enrollment surged by close to 17% nationwide between fall 2007 and fall 2009, comprising both new high school graduates seeking affordable entry into college and adult learners looking for training to allow them to keep their jobs or move into new careers. In communities where whole industries have been lose through plant closures, community colleges have focused on intensive customized services and classes for displaced workers. Colleges have developed partnerships and training alternative to help resuscitate their communities. The rise in student numbers, while shrinking revenues force state and local policymakers to reduce support colleges, presents a need for large and small colleges to do more with less. (continue reading…)

President Obama has traveled to community colleges, spoken many times about their value to students, employers and the economy, and the White House has effectively deployed Jill Biden — a community college instructor — to raise the profile of the institutions. So we don’t doubt the Administration’s support for community colleges.

Trouble is, you hold a White House event, yet another “summit,” in October right before potentially historic elections, the events tend to take on a political cast. Especially if you levy a political attack in the middle of it.

Washington Post, “Obama at college summit: GOP plan would cut education spending“:

President Obama applauded the nation’s community colleges Tuesday as “the unsung heroes of America’s education system” but warned that the Republican economic plan would imperil their mission and put the nation at a competitive disadvantage against other nations.

• Hearst Newspapers, “Obama: Tax cuts for rich hurt schools“
• Bloomberg, “Obama Job Strategy Backs Two-Year College Funding, Attacks Republican Cuts“
• USA TODAY, “Obama and Republicans joust again over education“

Maybe it’s the reporters’ emphasis, but it looks like the President stepped on his very important message about community colleges, skills and training by introducing partisan politics into the event.

P.S. Kevin Hall of McClatchy Newspapers noticed the absence of the National Association of Manufacturers at the White House event and does a good job of briefly reporting the context. See, “Obama hails community colleges, skirts their lack of funds.“

At this afternoon’s White House meeting of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, President Obama will make an announcement about a new jobs-training initiative, “Skills for America’s Future.”

The New York Times previewed the news in a story Saturday, “White House Plans Job Training Partnership“:

The national program is a response to frustrations from both workers and employers who complain that public retraining programs frequently do not provide students with employable skills. This new initiative is intended to help better align community college curriculums with the demands of local companies.

“The goal is to encourage community colleges and other training providers to work in close partnership with employers, to design a curriculum where they want to hire the people coming out of these programs right away,” said Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.

As the Times story notes, many such local private-public partnerships already exist around the nation, driven by the community’s educators and civic and business leaders. We’ll be interested in learning what new elements the federal government can bring to these partnerships, perhaps through additional targeted federal funding.

The President appreciates community colleges and often visits campuses for remarks on the economy, and today’s announcement foreshadows The White House Summit on Community Colleges scheduled for Tuesday.  There’s  a website devoted to the event, http://www.whitehouse.gov/communitycollege:

On October 5, 2010 Dr. Jill Biden will chair the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges.  President Obama asked Dr. Biden to convene this event to highlight the critical role that community colleges play in developing America’s workforce and reaching our educational goals.

The summit is an opportunity to bring together community colleges, business, philanthropy, federal and state policy leaders, and students to discuss how community colleges can help meet the job training and education needs of the nation’s evolving workforce, as well as the critical role these institutions play in achieving the President’s goal to lead the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020. 

Jill Biden is the wife of the vice president, a community college instructor in English, and she earned a Ph.D. in education (hence the White House’s honorific of “Dr.”).  She anticipates Tuesday’s program in a post at the White House Blog, “Getting Ready For Summit Day.” There’s also a web “toolkit” (.pdf file).

Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, summarizes the Department’s  activities vis a vis community colleges in a blog post, “Community Colleges: The Backbone of Our Public Workforce System.”

George Leef, an education policy expert of the Pope Center in North Carolina, reports on a recent debate on the value of a four-year college degree, the question being: ” Does the United States need more college graduates to remain a world economic power?”

Former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and Dr. Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, argued in favor of the resolution. Ohio University economics professor Richard Vedder and Leef argued against it. Their first two points:

First, we showed that a college degree does not necessarily open up good opportunities for individuals because degrees are now so common that having one is no distinction. Furthermore, there are other ways besides going to college for young people to get on a career path—vocational training, for example.

Second, we argued that it would not benefit our economic productivity to devote resources to college for additional students. Since we already have a surplus of college graduates in the labor force, expanding higher education further would only divert resources from more beneficial uses.

The National Association of Manufacturers does not denigrate four year college degrees, but believes there are other approaches that, depending on the student, offer more rewarding education and career opportunities.

Or at least one of them.

At Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s remarks about his “Jobs Initiative” Monday at Ace Clearwater in Torrance, company President Kellie Johnson spoke. Here’s what she had to say:

Thanks to our elected officials and a deep appreciation to Governor Schwarzenegger for being here today and for expanding the jobs training programs. I believe that it sends a message to employers throughout the state that our government is our partner and is working with us.

But more importantly, the expansion of the jobs training program is about the people of this great state, for without them companies like Ace Clearwater wouldn’t be able to innovate, we couldn’t compete and we wouldn’t be able to win. Operating in California requires us to have the most productive workforce in the world. Ace Clearwater is a family-owned business, third generation. We’ve been around for 60 years. We wouldn’t be here today without the talented and skilled people that make up this company.

The Governor mentioned that we have been blessed with tremendous opportunity and, as a result, Ace Clearwater has been experiencing tremendous growth. We’ve hired approximately 100 people but we continue to have openings that we can’t fill because we can’t find the skills that are necessary to compete in today’s very complicated economy. The increasing technical knowledge and multi-skilled natured of today’s advanced manufacturing sector has wiped out the traditional white collar, blue collar and unskilled categories of work. The expanded jobs training program will help employers train people with the skills they need to compete in today’s global economy.

Johnson is a member of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Executive Committee and is set to become chairman of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. The CMTA’s president and CEO, Jack Stewart, also emphasized the importance of workforce training in remarks at Torrance, citing a study the association worked on with the Milken Institue, “Manufacturing 2.0: A More Prosperous California.” Jack said: (continue reading…)

With the House health tax bill and the MLB All-Star Game sucking all the political/media air out of the room, too little attention has gone to President Obama’s speech Tuesday at Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich. (Transcript) With his “American Graduation Initiative” the President outlined policy and funding initiatives to promote education and workforce training through the community colleges. Manufacturers expend a lot of effort and money in training, and community colleges are often the closest partners they have, so the President’s emphasis is greatly appreciated.

The White House has prepared a fact sheet that summarizes the initiative.

It includes a call for five million additional community college graduates, albeit (and thankfully) defining “graduation” as including those who earn certificates and associate degrees. Training programs that lead to transferable, widely recognized skill credentials may be the most effective form of jobs-oriented education out there, so certificate programs should be regarded as highly as AA degrees.

The President also proposed the Community College Challenge Fund, competitive grants that would encourage collages to:

• Build partnerships with businesses and the workforce investment system to create career pathways where workers can earn new credentials and promotions step-by-step, worksite education programs to build basic skills, and curriculum coordinated with internship and job placements.
• Expand course offerings and offer dual enrollment at high schools and universities, promote the transfer of credit among colleges, and align graduation and entrance requirements of high schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities.
• Improve remedial and adult education programs, accelerating students’ progress and integrating developmental classes into academic and vocational classes.
• Offer their students more than just a course catalog, through comprehensive, personalized services to help them plan their careers and stay in school.

These are very, very good,  consistent with the training priorities and approaches that NAM President John Engler and the Manufacturing Institute focus on. (See Engler’s speech at the Brookings’ Institution on middle-skills jobs.)

In addition, the President called for a new research center to develop ways to measure community colleges’ success. Measuring is essential for accounability. Again, excellent.

If there are weaknesses in the President’s proposals, it’s these:

The Washington Post headline included the price tag, “$12 Billion Will Fund New Web Courses, Construction and Innovation Grant.” The annual federal deficit just crossed $1 trillion. Where is the new spending going to come from? Another surtax on upper-income brackets? A federal cigarette tax increase? More borrowing and debt? Granted, this is a problem the President has with all new spending initiatives: How can we afford them?

Also, the trouble with federal workforce training policy generally is that programs keep accreting, more often then not driven by constituencies — public employees, organized labor — who resist getting rid of programs that don’t work. Let’s kill and consolidate as we embark on new and better things.

Commentator Mickey Kaus, a results-oriented Democrat, identified the problem concisely:

The network of community colleges is a powerful lobby. Solid citizen advocates in every district. They just got $12 billion from Obama. But do they do much good? Frederick Hess sees “some terrific institutions but [also] broad pockets of mediocrity.” (I was actually expecting a more sweeping indictment.) That leaves the usual Obama question: How much reform will accompany the large outlay of taxpayer funds? The auto bailout may have set a pattern, and it’s not a promising one. … Update: Here are some numbing details. I suppose “challenge grants” can produce reforms. But vouchers-where the consumers of education could decide where to go, potentially threatening mediocre schools with defunding, whether or not they have good lobbyists–seem more effective. … 5:11 P.M.

So, good, solid policy proposals from the President on a major priority for the manufacturing sector and the U.S. economy — successful workforce training. But a sharper focus on what works and what has already failed would add to the initiative’s seriousness.

President Obama: “Health care is the single most important thing we can do for America’s long-term fiscal health. That’s a fact. That’s a fact.”

The President’s speech is not online yet at the White House website. We’ll post a link when it becomes available. (UPDATE: Here it is. The White House blog declares it “a landmark, sweeping speech,” which is a bit presumptious.)

Right now at the top of the speech’s section is “COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS BY DR. JILL BIDEN TO GRADUATES, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND FACULTY OF KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.”

Two thoughts: Excellent — the elevation of the importance of community colleges as a consistent theme of the White House. Very much appreciated.

And…interesting. The White House clearly regards Jill Biden as core member of its message team. Don’t ever recall a Lynn Cheney speech being on the Bush Whitehouse.gov speech site.

UPDATE (2:45 p.m.): The American Association for Justice, the trial lawyers lobby, releases a response to the President’s speech, statement on medical malpractice reform. They’re for something else.

Repeating an exercise from earlier in the month, a review of news stories about community college enrollment…

Deseret News, Utah, “College enrollment up in down economy“: “Salt Lake Community College witnessed the biggest change this year, coming out 2,580 students ahead of last year.”

WEIS Radio, Alabama, “GSCC PRESIDENT SAYS ENROLLMENT SKYROCKETING“: “According to Dr. Daryl Harrison, the President of Gadsden State Community College, enrollment has skyrocketed for the spring semester, and has presented a problem finding classroom space. Harrison said there were more than 700 students this spring, and some of have previously been students at four year colleges and universities.”

Bay City Times, Michigan, “Depressed economy leading more students to community college“: ” Delta’s winter semester set a 16-year record last month with 11,034 registered students, 10 percent more than the same period in 2007, when 9,999 students registered….Recession was a factor in 1992-93 for the record then. This semester’s figure just missed the college’s all-time high.”

WKTV, New York, “Economy Has Many Going Back To School“: “The souring job market, and rising unemployment are forcing more qualified professionals into the unemployment line. To get out of it, some are heading back to local colleges. Adult enrollment at Mohawk Valley Community College is up more than 100 students over this time a year ago. Officials say the number will likely go up ..as we get closer to summer.”

Grand Island Independent, Nebraska, “With economy down, CCC enrollment is up“:”Central Community College apparently is gaining enrollment, due in part to the sluggish economy….Greg Smith, president of the 25-county Central Community College area, said that would put CCC in line with what is happening at most other community colleges across the area….’Community colleges run countercyclical to the economy,’ he said. ‘When people work less, they often use their time to take college classes.’”

Collected from Google News, a day’s worth of stories between Monday and Tuesday.

Must be a trend…

Layoffs Lead to Increased College Enrollment
WSET, VA – Enrollment this Spring at Virginia Western is up 10 percent compared to last year. Danville Community College is up seven percent. …

In poor economy, more students enrolling at community colleges
KVIA, TX – El Paso Community College Vice President of Instruction Dr. Dennis Brown says he is seeing that trend reflected at his campuses. …

Enrollment grows at La. community colleges
KATC, LA – That’s according to the latest enrollment figures released by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. The largest growth was at Nunez …

QCC among nation’s fastest growing
Worcester Telegram, MA – Community College Week magazine listed two-year public schools that have experienced significant enrollment increases. QCC ranked 25th on the list of …

MCCC enrollment sets another record
Monroenews.com, MI – The winter semester enrollment at the college has reached an all-time high. The credit enrollment headcount for this winter semester is 4344 students, …

Unemployed workers head back to school
KXLY, WA – SPOKANE — As the unemployment rate goes up, so does the enrollment rate at the Community College level, making school officials in Spokane worried. …

Some colleges see rise in spring enrollments
2TheAdvocate, LA – By JORDAN BLUM The spring enrollments for Baton Rouge Community College and Southern University are separated by just 80 students, essentially the …

Back to School: In poor economy, laid-off workers flocking to …
Winston-Salem Journal, NC – Students work in a computer lab at Forsyth Technical Community College’s Learning Center. From the foreground back, they are Tom Atkinson, Theo Akinyele, …

Spring enrollment up at OTC
News-Leader.com, MO – Ozarks Technical Community College continues to see substantial enrollment growth in the midst of the current economic downturn, the college said in a news …

High Enrollment at Community Colleges
KUOW NPR, WA – And those people are going to be told, oh go to the community college who let you go.” LAMBERT SAYS IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE TO MANAGE A LARGER POPULATION OF

Pulaski Tech Spring Enrollment Climbs 9 Percent
Today’s THV, AR – Pulaski Technical College recorded a nine percent increase in enrollment for the spring 2009 semester over this time last year, marking a record number of …

Terra enrollment on the rise
Port Clinton News Herald, OH – For the fourth consecutive term, Terra Community College has seen a significant increase in its enrollment. Spring semester 2009 has a student headcount of …