INDICATORS

EARLY LEARNING

K-12

K-12 STATE TESTING

K-12 FUNDING

HIGHER EDUCATION

•2.5.1 Regional Graduation Rates •2.5.2 Total Degrees Awarded by Level •2.5.3 STEM Degrees Granted •2.5.4 Transfer Enrollment at Community Colleges •2.5.5 Workforce Training at Community Colleges •2.5.6 Basic Skills Enrollment at Community College

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

EDUCATION

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2.5.6 Total Students Enrolled in Community College for the Purpose of Basic Skills, Rate per 1,000 Adults Aged 18-64

Why is this important?

Basic Skills programs are one of three general tracks available to students at community colleges. The others are workforce training and preparation for a transfer to a four-year higher education institution.

Basic Skills education provides general and necessary tools for participation in the workforce. Illiteracy, the lack of a high school diploma, or poor English skills can be barriers to successful employment. Community colleges offer a variety of classes to raise the level of essential skills needed for the workplace. Wenatchee Valley College's Adult Basic Education (ABE) program offers classes in basic reading, writing, math, and computer skills. The ABE program is designed to equip students over 18 for the General Educational Development (GED) test, complete coursework to earn a high school diploma or prepare them for college classes.

To be included in this indicator, a student must be a Full-Time Equivalent Student (FTES). According to Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 392-120-025, to be considered an FTES as a college student, the student must be “enrolled in at least 12 college credits or more per quarter.”

Locally, Walla Walla Community College offers basic skills classes through their Transitional Studies program. This program has classes designed for students who need pre-college level math, reading, and writing credits as well as preparatory classes for students taking the GED. There are also English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the Transitional Studies program.

This indicator measures the total number and rate per 1,000 residents of the Walla Walla Community College Service District ages 18-64 who were a Full-Time Equivalent Student (FTES) and were enrolled in a state-supported course at Walla Walla Community College with the purpose of basic skills training. The Walla Walla Community College Service District includes Walla Walla, Asotin, Garfield, and Columbia Counties. Washington State is offered as a benchmark.

Where are we?

During the 2023-2024 academic year, there were 283 students on an AAFTE basis enrolled at Walla Walla Community College with the intent of pursuing basic skills training, decreasing by 61.0% from the 2007-2008 level of 725 AAFTEs.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, the rate of AAFTE students enrolled seeking a Basic Skills education per 1,000 residents aged 18-64:

At Walla Walla Community College service district was 5.5, decreasing from 13.8 during the 2007-2008 school year.
In Washington State was 1.6, decreasing from 4.9 during the 2007-2008 school year.

Data Sources

For Student Intent - Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges

Go to "Table: Enrollment Trends," change the measure to FTE, the period to "Annual," the desired college, and student type/intent to "Basic Ed for Adults"

For Population by Age - State of Washington: Office of Financial Management – Postcensal Estimates of Population by Age and Sex

Under "Age and Sex," click on the county postcensal estimates that contain ages 15-19 by single years

Note: This indicator only measures students who are enrolled in a state-supported course. According to the data source, “State-supported courses are funded through a combination of state appropriation and tuition. When students, employers, or social service agencies pay tuition in state-supported courses, they are paying a portion of the cost of providing those courses.”

The data visualization on this webpage may not be fully accessible for persons with disabilities. However, the source data will download in a file by clicking on the "Download Data" link above. If you would like assistance downloading the file or be provided a copy of the information on this webpage, please contact us at dpjones@ewu.edu.