Community & Technical College Fast Facts

There are 34 community and technical colleges (CTCs) in Washington.
Community and technical colleges enrolled 460,696 students in 2007-08, a one percent increase from the previous year.
The three mission areas of the CTCs are: workforce training, literacy education and transfer preparation to four-year institutions.

A total of 61,927 (45 percent) state-supported FTEs were generated by students enrolled for workforce education (upgrading job skills or preparing to enter a new job field).
The dynamic, economy sensitive Worker Retraining program served a growing number of students - 11,457 (6,238 FTEs) in the community and technical colleges in 2007-08 and 313 in private career schools.

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) pairs adult basic education or English as a second language (ESL) with workforce training. Eleven colleges began I-BEST programs late in the 2005-06 year. An additional 14 colleges began programs during 2006-07, bringing the total to 25 colleges preparing students for jobs in nursing and allied health care, commercial truck driving, industrial maintenance, automotive, computers, and early childhood education.
Some 15,875 FTEs (12 percent) were generated by students enrolled with an immediate goal of basic skills [Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a second language (ESL), General Education Development (GED) preparation or high school completion].

Students who were preparing to transfer to four-year institutions accounted for 53,132 FTEs (39 percent).
New this year is a focus on science, technology, engineering and math transfer (STEM) with 7,200 STEM majors enrolled in 4,190 FTE.
In fall 2007, more than 100 students began their junior year in one of four applied baccalaureate degree programs in the CTC system:
- Bellevue Community College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiation and Imaging Sciences.
- Peninsula College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management.
- Olympic College – Bachelor of Science Nursing.
- South Seattle Community College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality Management.

Enrollment at CTCs is expected to increase by 12,000 full-time students by the year 2012.
A total of 89,648 students (19 percent of all students) enrolled in at least one eLearning course this year, an increase of 12.5 percent from 2006-07. Of these eLearning students, 81,727, or 91 percent, enrolled in online classes.'
In 2007-08, 17,327 Running Start students – high school students earning high school and college credit simultaneously – accounted for 11,185 FTEs. Another 2,755 high school students enrolled in college classes offered at their high school – College in the High School and 3,151 high school students enrolled in alternative high school programs offered at the colleges.