Community colleges are the most local of higher education institutions in the United States. As an engine of educational advancement for those who do not readily have access to four-year institutions, the community college has become as cemented into the community infrastructure as the K-12 public education system. The academic and local character of these institutions has continued to develop in concert with the demographic changes in the communities they serve. This essay focuses on the significant demographic adjustments local community colleges have been making since the turn of the 21st century. Demographics have shaped the new constituency of community colleges in both predictable and unpredictable ways, depending on their local context and history. Section I describes the theoretical motivation of localism as it relates to immigrants and higher education. Section II briefly describes the authors' data and methods. Section III provides context and case study details for two selected states, California and North Carolina, using analysis of legal memos. This review specifically highlights the two states' varied approaches to the issue of undocumented students and immigrant access to higher education. Section IV presents the authors' findings, which include a socioeconomic and demographic portrait of the two states and enrollment trends in their respective community college systems. Section V concludes with a discussion of major findings and final thoughts. (Contains 2 tables, 2 figures and 2 notes.)
CITATION STYLE
Flores, S. M., & Oseguera, L. (2009). The Community College and Undocumented Immigrant Students across State Contexts: Localism and Public Policy. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 111(13), 63–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146810911101304
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