Aderholt Remarks at Hearing on Preparing for the Future: America's Community Colleges

Good morning. Thank you to our witnesses who have come to testify before us today on the topic of community colleges. We will hear from these innovative leaders about how their institutions are preparing students for promising careers and delivering an education that is aligned with workforce needs and cost-effective. I look forward to hearing about their efforts to help students succeed and become workforce-ready and what we should know as we examine programs in this subcommittee’s jurisdiction.

The secret is clearly out about the value that community colleges deliver for their students and local economies. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, community college enrollment grew 3 percent in fall 2025, double the 1.4 percent increase at public four-year colleges. Enrollment increased 1.9% in certificate programs and by 2.2% in associate’s degree programs, faster than the approximately 1% increase for bachelor’s programs. It’s clear that many students are eager to enter or re-enter the workforce more quickly after getting the necessary skills and training, in less time and for less money than required of a traditional four-year degree.

That should not come as a big surprise, as more Americans are questioning what exactly they are getting from college. A September 2025 Gallup poll found the share of Americans who view college as “very important” has fallen to 35%, down from 75% in 2010. A separate NBC News poll this past November found only one-third of Americans think a four-year college degree is worth the cost, down from about half saying it was worth it in 2017.

To be sure, by highlighting the success of community colleges, we are not downplaying the role of four-year institutions.  But for many years, the federal approach to higher education prioritized greater access and enrollment, with not enough scrutiny on whether this translated to a good return on investment for students. A four-year college degree can bring better career opportunities and higher lifetime earnings, but this experience is far from universal. The federal government invests $131 billion annually in financial aid, through loans and grants. Despite this outsized investment, too many students do not see the expected benefits, and unfortunately a few end up worse off financially. 

It is encouraging that leaders at community colleges around the country are focused on programs and strategies to set students up for success. Their institutions offer opportunities to learn and gain experience in high-demand fields, avoiding an expensive degree not in demand by industry.

Our nation’s community colleges serve students in all stages of life: students seeking their high school diploma equivalency, those who graduated high school years ago, working students with children, students seeking to switch career fields, and those looking for specific skills to advance in their existing career. Many students enroll part-time, because they do not want or cannot afford to miss a paycheck in the interim.

Community colleges excel at tailoring their programs to all students. Offering a range of programs, from stackable credentials to associate’s degrees, and offering flexible course schedules at night, on weekends, or online. Through dual enrollment programs, community colleges are a connection to our K-12 schools, giving students exposure to college material and career opportunities they may not have known were available to them. Through partnerships with local employers, community colleges integrate hands-on learning, which means students can be immersed in the most up-to-date training, standards, and equipment.

Community colleges offer tremendous value. Average in-district tuition and fees for a public two-year school totaled just over $4,000 in the 2024-25 school year, or nearly $8,000 less than the in-state cost for a public four-year school.

Today we will hear from higher education and workforce development leaders about what they are doing to prioritize student success and respond to needs in the workforce. These leaders across the country, from Browning, Montana all the way to my home state of Alabama, are forward-thinking and responsive to the needs of both students and surrounding industry. 

Securing strong pipelines of workers in critical fields is a win-win for students and employers, and our economy. Whether it is nursing, commercial truck drivers, line workers, advanced manufacturing, skilled industry trades, or fields like hospitality and education, our workforce needs are growing. Amid an aging population, we also must contend with worker shortages and find new ways to mitigate them. 

Rural areas - like the district I represent - feel the pressure of addressing workforce shortages acutely.  Today, I look forward to hearing about the success of these schools and how they are focused on improving students’ outcomes.

Before I turn to Ranking Member DeLauro for her remarks, I will introduce our witnesses. First is Dr. Patricia Sims, president of J.F. Drake State Community & Technical College in Huntsville, Alabama. Next, we will hear from Dr. Brad Hall, president of Blackfeet Community College in Browning, Montana. We will also hear from Shalin Jyotishi *(pronounced SHAY-lin Joh- TEE-shee), founder and managing director of the Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative at New America. His research focuses on economic and workforce development and emerging technology policy. Finally, I’m pleased we will hear from Mr. Shawn Morgan, vice president of workforce and strategy initiatives at Bevill State Community College, located in Jasper, Alabama, in my district. Thank you all for being with us today to share your expertise.

I will now turn to Ranking Member DeLauro for her opening remarks.