November 8, 2023

There are just 10 days left before the current continuing resolution (CR) expires and government funding runs out.  The only thing that is for certain is that the House and Senate still have their work cut out for them. The House is set to bring the Labor-HHS-Education funding bill to the floor next week. 

Now let's dive into the latest news in higher education.

First Look at Fall 2023 Enrollment Trends

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released new enrollment trends for fall 2023. Of note, this fall saw undergraduate enrollment grow for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, with 60% of the increase in enrollment driven by community colleges.

Community colleges enrollment increased by 4% with Black, Latinx, and Asian students accounting for most of the growth.  When breaking down enrollment by programs, short-term credentials remain fairly popular seeing a 9.9% increase compared to the 3.6% increase in associate degrees. For a deeper dive, click here.

Pipeline to Pell Webinar

Join the Department of Education's Office of Correctional Education Webinar Series Pipeline to Pell: The Roles of States, Localities, and Other Relevant Stakeholders on Wednesday, November 15 at 3:00 pm  EST. The webinar will focus on advancing state and local implementation of inclusive, supportive, comprehensive, and high-quality correctional education programs that meet the diverse needs of incarcerated students.  To register, click here. 

*Final Reminder * SCCTG Deadline

Applications the fourth round of Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG)  are due Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Awards will concentrate on the capacity of community colleges to address identified equity gaps to increase access to educational and economic opportunities for dislocated workers and new entrants to the workforce, as well as employed workers seeking to advance in their careers, particularly for individuals from historically underserved communities.

To access relevant FAQs, pre-recorded webinars, or additional application information, click here. 

• Accepting Applications on a Rolling Basis - CHIPS Incentives Program – Facilities for Semiconductor Materials and Manufacturing Equipment

• July 3 - Prison Education Program (PEP) applications open on a rolling basis

• November 14 - deadline to apply for Strengthening Community College Training Grants
• November 27 - Department of Energy's Career Skills Training Program
• November 30 - deadline for letters of intent for Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

We also put together an outreach toolkit and an advocacy guide to share best practices for meeting with elected officials and set your team up for success.

ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges. If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) E-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with 'LAW Alert' in the subject of the e-mail.

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