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Montgomery College is currently asking for a budget increase from what has been proposed by the County Executive. But missing from any discussion of Montgomery College's budget request is data on the College's downward enrollment trend.
When asked about Montgomery College's current Fall 2018 enrollment, Montgomery County Councilmember and Education Chair Craig Rice responded that Montgomery College has 54,335 credit and non-credit students.
The enrollment data from the 2019 Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) data book shows Montgomery College's Fall 2017 enrollment as 22,875. If that enrollment held to the Fall of 2018, that would mean that 31,460 Montgomery College students were enrolled in non-credit classes.
That puts the majority of Montgomery College students as taking non-credit courses.
The "college" component of Montgomery College has been in a decline and has not picked
up additional students, even as MCPS enrollment has steadily climbed.
What's going on at Montgomery College and will our elected officials discuss the downward trend in our community college's enrollment?
Montgomery College Enrollment with links to MHEC Data Books on enrollment and other data on Maryland colleges.
Fall 2009 26,147
Fall 2010 26,015
Fall 2011 26,996
Fall 2012 27,453
Fall 2013 26,155
Fall 2014 25,517
Fall 2015 25,320
Fall 2016 23,916
Fall 2017 22,875
Fall 2018 21,720 (Page 14 of Council packet)
Recent Montgomery County Council discussion of Montgomery College's Capital Budget request.
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/cm/2019/20190321/20190321_EC1.pdf
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| MCPS Schools at a Glance |
As Montgomery County Public Schools enrollment has been increasing, Montgomery College's enrollment has been dropping.
Montgomery College is currently asking for a budget increase from what has been proposed by the County Executive. But missing from any discussion of Montgomery College's budget request is data on the College's downward enrollment trend.
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| MHEC Data Books |
When asked about Montgomery College's current Fall 2018 enrollment, Montgomery County Councilmember and Education Chair Craig Rice responded that Montgomery College has 54,335 credit and non-credit students.
The enrollment data from the 2019 Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) data book shows Montgomery College's Fall 2017 enrollment as 22,875. If that enrollment held to the Fall of 2018, that would mean that 31,460 Montgomery College students were enrolled in non-credit classes.
That puts the majority of Montgomery College students as taking non-credit courses.
The "college" component of Montgomery College has been in a decline and has not picked
up additional students, even as MCPS enrollment has steadily climbed.
What's going on at Montgomery College and will our elected officials discuss the downward trend in our community college's enrollment?
Montgomery College Enrollment with links to MHEC Data Books on enrollment and other data on Maryland colleges.
Fall 2009 26,147
Fall 2010 26,015
Fall 2011 26,996
Fall 2012 27,453
Fall 2013 26,155
Fall 2014 25,517
Fall 2015 25,320
Fall 2016 23,916
Fall 2017 22,875
Fall 2018 21,720 (Page 14 of Council packet)
Fall 2019 21,260
Fall 2020 20,037
Fall 2022 17,137
Recent Montgomery County Council discussion of Montgomery College's Capital Budget request.
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/cm/2019/20190321/20190321_EC1.pdf
Please, can you explain what non-credit classes are? Aren't all college classes for credit?
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean if a majority of students are taking non-credit classes?
Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thank you.
http://www2.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/wdce/wdce-catalogue/html5/index.html?&locale=ENG&pn=1
DeleteIn the age of a global economy, it is hard to fathom how all these non-credit arts, crafts and hobby courses contribute to the economic growth engine of the county.
Delete"OUR VISION: With a sense of urgency for the future, Montgomery College will be a national model of educational excellence, opportunity, and student success. Our organization will be characterized by agility and relevance as it meets the dynamic challenges facing our students and community." ! ! !
DeleteFor more info, from http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce/courseschedule/
Delete"Workforce Development & Continuing Education offers noncredit classes year-round at dozens of sites throughout Montgomery County. See a listing of WD&CE Programs from A to Z." http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce/programs.html
Montgomery College has absorbed what used to be a very robust Adult Education catalog of classes Montgomery County offered.
THAT is why there are noncredit offerings. They are NOT all "arts-and-crafts," and some of the faculty are indeed extremely talented and offer these courses because they love to teach them and this is an avenue for them to do so. There are indeed some arts classes, but also CEU's for professionals who need to accrue them (eg teacher certification), retirement planning seminars, business/management classes (especially small businesses), and so on. I can absolutely see them "contribut[ing] to the economic growth engine of the county."
No data. No numbers. This is not about guessing.
DeleteIf this is now a Continuing Education facilty then the name needs to be changed. The public should not be told they are funding a college when they aren't.
Perhaps you should look at the number of administrative positions:
Deletehttps://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Department.aspx?id=17101
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/search?q=+Revealed%3A+Real+cost+of+Montgomery+College+greater+than+UMD+
The enrollment dropped by about 5%, while the funding was cut by about 2%.
ReplyDeleteAlso, 58% of the classes taught are non-credit that most likely don't require the most talented faculty.
There is a lot of data on the Montgomery College credit courses including who takes them, costs and fees. But I don't find any data on who the 30,000+ people are taking the non-credit courses. Should Montgomery College be renamed Montgomery Community Center?
ReplyDeleteOperating Budgets Link
ReplyDeletehttps://www.montgomerycollege.edu/offices/administrative-and-fiscal-services/budget-office/operating-budgets.html
In order to accomplish the mission
ReplyDeletethey felt the need to raise the tuition.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/montgomery-college-tuition-rising-for-second-consecutive-year/
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/government/funding-boosted-for-community-college-bus-program-and-services-for-disabled/ "The council decided to add $3 million for Montgomery College, "
ReplyDeleteRobbing Peter to pay Paul?
ReplyDeletehttps://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/funding-for-12-school-nurses-fails-to-make-final-county-budget/
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/government/council-approves-5-8-billion-budget-for-fiscal-year-20/
ReplyDeleteServing less with more:
“The council added $3 million to the Montgomery College budget during the reconciliation process, fully meeting the college’s request of $313 million. Elrich had originally budgeted $310 million, noting that he had increased per-pupil spending due to decreased enrollment.”
I was told that 5,000 students are "night school" adults studying English: tourists, retired, workers, high school drop-outs, anyone who wants to better themselves while living or staying in Maryland
ReplyDeletehttps://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/adulted/ ESOL and GED Office has moved to Montgomery College
http://insidemc.montgomerycollege.edu/details.php?id=1259 Adult ESOL & Literacy-GED Program Receives National Career Grant (2007)
--Michelle
The adult education classes are offered at community college throughout the state. Formerly, such classes were offered through the public school system. https://www.dllr.state.md.us/gedmd/programs.shtml
ReplyDelete--I can't see how the MC enrollment would tally to 5,000 students. That would mean 200 classes of 25 students each, or maybe 100 classes of 25 for each semester.
"This program is funded by the Maryland Office of Refugees and Asylees. Students in Advanced ESOL level classes must pay tuition." from https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/workforce-development-continuing-education/english-language-skills/adult-esol/esol-schedule.html
--Michelle
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/
DeleteMontgomery College by the Numbers:
54K Students across three campuses and online
$50 Million Awarded in financial aid annually
165 Countries represented by student population
18:1 Student-faculty ratio
NOT 54,000 college students. How about telling the truth Montgomery College? Counting adult education classes and pretending like they are college courses is false advertising.
DeleteI have no control on what is currently posted on the Montgomery College URL main page.
DeleteBut, it all depends on what their definition of 'students' is. . .
They don't get to define college students. They either have them or they don't and they don't have 54,000 college students. They have less than 20,000 college students.
DeleteHere is their brag sheet:
Deletehttps://www.montgomerycollege.edu/about-mc/index.html
Montgomery College is a public, fully accredited institution.
Led by President DeRionne P. Pollard, MC is dedicated to student success
and widely recognized for the quality and scope of its academic programs.
MC consistently receives high rankings and national recognition:
-Ranked 10th in the nation for students' career outcomes by WalletHub.
-Ranked 9th in the nation among community colleges for adult learners by Washington Monthly.
-Ranked 12th in the nation among community colleges for online learning by BestColleges.
-Ranked highly by Washington Monthly for ease of transfer to four-year schools, flexibility of programs, and services for adult students.
-Ranked Best for Vets by Military Times.
-Ranked most diverse community college in the continental US by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
-Ranked 12th best college in the nation to earn your online computer science AA degree by TheBestSchools.org.
When this memo was written, Adult Ed was within MCPS. To get a better history of MC enrollment, you need to look at what was happening between 2005 and 2009, too.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/search.aspx?q=%22adult+education%22
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/meetings/agenda/2004-05/2005-0308/feesmemo.pdf "Adult Education - Providing enrichment classes/activities for students from school age to senior citizens is the focus of the adult education program. Typically, approximately 10,000 individuals participate in adult education programs and activities throughout the year. Of that number, 11 percent are senior citizens. "
--Michelle
https://www.edsmart.org/best-colleges-maryland/
ReplyDelete“Montgomery College was named one of the top colleges in Maryland, and the top two-year school, according to EdSmart. MC is ranked 11 overall among the 55 colleges in the state. “
Did you even read what this ad said about Montgomery College?
DeleteGraduation Rate: 20%
!!!!
YES I DID!
DeleteHowever, they still brag about the school.
Comparing Apples to Apples.
DeleteFortis College-Landover Graduation: 65%
Hagerstown Community College Graduation: 36%
Carroll Community College Graduation: 33%
Frederick Community College Graduation: 30%
Garrett College Graduation: 29%
Hartford Community College Graduation: 28%
College of Southern Maryland Graduation: 24%
Anne Arundel Community College Graduation: 20%
Cecil College Graduation: 20%
Montgomery College Graduation: 20%
Howard Community College Graduation: 19%
Chesapeake College Graduation: 16%
Prince George’s Community College Graduation: 9%
https://wamu.org/story/19/07/04/colleges-citizenship-preparation-program-aims-to-simplify-often-arduous-process/
ReplyDeleteMC Scholars:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1804053
https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=2268495
https://wtop.com/education/2022/05/enrollment-decline-a-struggle-for-dc-area-community-colleges/
ReplyDelete"In Maryland, the Maryland Community College Association reports an almost 14% drop in the number of students enrolling at the state’s community colleges for that same period."