A new report on the landscape of Virginia community colleges illustrates the massive shifts that have occurred over the last decade in interest in workforce development and dual-enrollment programs, modes of delivering courses and more.
While enrollments at community colleges have been steadily rising since largely tanking during the Covid pandemic, they still are behind where they were a decade ago, according to a new report for the state’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. And although there is optimism about the recent uptick, an impending demographic cliff — due to declining birth rates, resulting in lower numbers of teens and younger students — is a cause for concern.
In Virginia, the overall enrollment in the state’s 23 community colleges declined 7% between academic years 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 252,800 to 235,700, mirroring the 7% national decline in the two-year sector between fall 2019 and fall 2024, the report says. But the colleges have experienced a rebound since Covid, seeing a 9% bump since 2022-23, from 215,300 to 235,700.
Driving factors
Research for the report shows that dual enrollment and short-term workforce development education programs have been largely driving those recent boosts. Between 2015-16 and 2024-25, enrollment in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) for traditional credit student groups has dropped 27%, from 215,400 to 157,200. More than half was attributable to the decline in academic transfer students, which decreased by more than 30,000 students, the report says.
But dramatic jumps in dual enrollment and in the system’s FastForward short-term workforce program for in-demand industries have mitigated much of those enrollment declines, the report continues. Between 2015-16 and 2024-25, dual enrollment rose by 55% (from 37,400 to 58,100), while FastFoward — which began enrolling students in 2016-17 — has grown to more than 20,000 students.
Interestingly, the growth in dual enrollment over the last decade has centered at three colleges, which account for 93% of the state’s dual-enrollment growth, the report says. But since 2022-23, nearly all of the state’s 23 community colleges have seen increases in dual enrollment. And while dual-enrollment students now comprise one quarter of VCCS enrollment, a small proportion earn a credential, with students instead opting to take one or two courses to earn some college credits, sample college-level work or strengthen their college application, the report says.
Notably, the state’s new program, College and Career Ready Virginia, which began this fall, will make certain academic transfer courses free to students and allow those interested to complete a college-level general education curriculum while in high school.
A closer look at FastForward
Meanwhile, interest in the FastFoward program is outpacing resources. Between fiscal years (FY) 2018 and 2025, the proportion of career and technical education students in FastForward courses more than doubled, from 13% to 27%, the report says. However, demand for the programs has surpassed state funding increases, which grew from $5 million in appropriations in FY17, to $24 million in FY26. As a result, the system is likely to reduce or prioritize program offerings this spring to stay in budget.
Researchers also examined the results of FastForward, which was often cited during national debates on expanding Pell Grant eligibility to certain short-term workforce education programs. They found the program has been effective, with 95% of participants completing the program, and three-quarters of completers going on to obtain a credential. The percentage of completers earning credentials varies among programs, with commercial driver’s license, construction trades and mechanic repairs exceeding 80%, while IT-related programs hover at 28%.
Credential earners saw an increase in wages of about $10,800 more annually than before the program, with an average wage of about $41,000 12 months after receiving a credential — surpassing the $34,200 living wage threshold for a Virginia household with one adult. However, researchers noted that more than half of FastFoward completers have one or more dependents, and the $41,000 is below the living wage threshold for a Virginia household with one adult and one child ($48,800).
