Erie Community Foundation

Community College Information

Community College on the Horizon

Following a year of work by the Erie Community Foundation and dozens of concerned organizations and individuals, Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio and Erie County Council have unanimously committed to developing a community college for the Northwest PA region.

“In line with our strategic grant making, which concentrates on systemic problems, The Erie Community Foundation believes enhancing access to post-secondary educational and training opportunities is a critical need in this region,” said Michael Batchelor, president of The Erie Community Foundation. “To compete in a global economy, business leaders need a skilled work force. Jobs that require postsecondary education account for 42% of projected new job growth from 2000-2010.”

A community college will provide low income citizens with the opportunity to gain the needed education and skills for a career, provide the needed skilled workforce, and reduce the continuously rising cost of county government's required human services.

“Each taxpayer dollar invested in a community college yields $3 in benefits for regional economic development and growth,” Batchelor said. “In fact, increasing a state’s average level of schooling by one year can increase economic growth by 5 to 15 percent.”

The County of Erie retained the services of Dr. David Pierce, former president of the American Association of Community Colleges, as a consultant. Dr. Pierce, who is one of the most experienced community college consultants in the country, will assist in the preparation of the required application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education requesting authorization to sponsor a community college for this region. This application is due on June 30, 2008.

“Higher levels of education lead to higher earnings, higher levels of health care, and higher levels of civic participation, including community service, voting and charitable giving,” Batchelor said. “The greatest benefit of higher education is better opportunities for the next generation.”

National Profile of Community Colleges:

Number of Community Colleges: 1,157

Enrollment:
11.6 million students
46% of all U.S. undergraduates
45% of first-time freshmen
58% women; 42% men
62% part time; 38% full time
(full time = 12 + credit hours)

Student Profile:
47% of black undergraduates
56% of Hispanic
48% of Asian/Pacific Islander
57% of Native American
Average student age - 29 years

Students Receiving Financial Aid:
Any aid - 37.8%
Federal Grants - 17.2%
State aid - 10.2%
Federal loans - 7.0%

Tuition and Fees:
$2,076 average annual tuition
at public community colleges

Statistics from National Profile of Community Colleges: Trends and Statistics, Third Edition (2000), available from Community College Press and excerpted from the AACC’s website.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Community College, through the VanAmburg Group, now has an informational website, NWPCC, enabling you to keep abreast with ongoing communications, research, public meetings, how the application process is progressing and the ability to participate on the blog. Be sure to register to receive email updates.

Community College Gaps Analysis

This area of our Solutions for Working Families will look at enhancing educational and job training opportunities through support research to identify options and alternatives related to the establishment of a local community college.

In the course of community meetings to discuss the region's quest to create a community college, the Deputy Secretary of Labor and Industry (DLI) for the Commonwealth charged the community with addressing the right problem with the right solution. The community was challenged to conduct a gap analysis to identify the need that a community college would fill and DLI offered to help however possible. The Erie Community Foundation (ECF) agreed to serve as convener of the Gaps Analysis Steering Committee - a group of individuals in leadershp positions representing several different counties, government, education, economic development, workforce and the nonprofit/community development sectors. The Department of Labor and Industry agreed to fund a consultant (Public Works) to facilitate the process, assist with the research and write the committee's report.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE; NEXT STEPS

The County of Erie has retained Dr. David Pierce, former head of the National Association of Community Colleges, to coordinate the required next step; submission of an application to the State Board Education. This application, once submitted, will be the basis for public hearings conducted by the Department of Education. These hearings will help state officials examine local needs and determine if there are legitimate training and educational needs that are not being met through existing institutions and service providers.

Additional information on the community college application process can be found at www.nwpcc.info. The Erie Community Foundation supports the submission of an application and has endorsed the following:

WHEREAS, the percent of Erie County adults, 25 or over, whose highest educational attainment is a high school degree or less, is 22% worse than national averages;

WHEREAS, the County of Erie college attendance rate for adults 25 and over is 13% below the national rate; as well as 19% below the Allegheny County rate, and 13% below the Butler County rate, both of which have community colleges;

WHEREAS, both household and per-capita income levels for Erie County are now 18% below the national average, and City of Erie incomes are now 32-35% below the national average, the lowest point since 1969;

WHEREAS, there has been a significant increase in the poverty level for local individuals since 2000, with the Erie County poverty level now 26% higher than the national average;

WHEREAS, Erie County tax dollars currently support the Pennsylvania system of 14 public community colleges;

WHEREAS, Northwest Pennsylvania is one of five Pennsylvania regions with virtually no access to community college and correspondingly low shares of workers with education beyond high school;

WHEREAS, the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership estimates that, on any given date, there are 1,500 to 2,000 open positions in Erie County, unable to be filled due to the lack of a qualified workforce;

WHEREAS, nationally, between 23% and 42% of community college students transfer to four-year colleges for baccalaureate degrees;

WHEREAS, a 23-member Gaps Analysis Committee convened by The Erie Community Foundation unanimously recommended the establishment of a free-standing community college serving Northwest Pennsylvania;

WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Board of Education has produced guidelines to be used by communities contemplating the establishment of a community college;

WHEREAS, The County of Erie has retained the services of a qualified consultant to help prepare an application for consideration by the Pennsylvania Board of Education for a community college servicing Northwest Pennsylvania;

WHEREAS, The Erie County Executive has committed a portion of local gaming revenues as the required local match needed to make a community college education affordable and accessible to students of all income levels and backgrounds;

WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Board of Education will hold public hearings before ruling on the establishment of a community college servicing Northwest Pennsylvania and that this board would disallow any curriculum deemed duplicative and as not serving the needs of the region;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that trustees of The Erie Community Foundation endorse the preparation of an application for consideration and review by the Pennsylvania Board of Education for the establishment of a community college to service Northwest Pennsylvania.

Reports presented so far:

Sidney Hacker Presentation
Draft Gaps Analysis Progress Report
Gaps Analysis Report
Increasing Access to Post-Secondary Education & Training-Final Report of the Gaps Analysis Steering Committee