Andrea Arzola-ZunigaCredit enrollment at Santa Ana College has stunted for the first time in five years, while the college’s non-credit School of Continuing Education is on pace to reach its enrollment goal.
Per the RSSCD board of trustees’ request, enrollment reports are now being given at each board meeting by the Presidents of SAC and Santiago Canyon College. According to data presented at the Fall 2026 convocation, SAC has grown in both credit and non-credit since 2021.
“For the last four years, maybe five years, aggressive growth trajectory in credit and non-credit were as low as 12,000 FTES, and today we’re almost at 30,000,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Jeff Lamb in an interview.
FTES, full-time equivalent students, is the measure used to track enrollment for state funding. Each year, the state caps the amount of money it will provide for enrollment growth. Once a college grows past that limit, additional students bring in no new state funding, and colleges must use their own funds to serve them.
SAC President Anabelle Nery said the college is planning to keep enrollment below the cap that the state will pay for.
“The goal is to make sure we don’t exceed 24,000 FTES [with credit and non-credit combined],” she said. The 24,000 FTES target reflects the state’s new Student Centered Funding Formula, which went into effect last year. Community colleges in California now receive 70% of their funding from enrollment numbers, with the remainder given by the state based on financial aid and student success.
In an email to the district last Tuesday, Acting Chancellor Iris Ingram acknowledged the value of growth and said it provides students with more opportunities and resources.
“Growth contributes to the fiscal health of the District and provides additional resources for programs and services,” said Ingram. “But the most important number is the number of students we are serving. More students are accessing our colleges and the opportunities that education provides.”
Non-Credit Leader
The School of Continuing Education, which offers SAC’s non-credit classes, serves a wide range of learners through its English language, active adult, adult basic education, high school, career education, and U.S. citizenship programs. According to data from the fall 2026 convocation, roughly 50% of students are over the age of 40.
The college set a fall target of 3,000 FTES and currently stands at 2,132 FTES, which Nery described as “70% of the target.”
FTES across the college’s credit and Continuing Education programs are running almost 3% below last year, according to Dr. Nery’s presentation. Because credit enrollment is expected to hold steady and the School of Continuing Education is still working towards its goal, the overall figure may shift as the term continues, with the college’s emphasis moving from enrolling students to helping them finish.
“We are turning our attention to our completion metrics and are focusing more on initiatives to help the students attain the certificate, degree or financial aid they need,” Lamb said.
Completion Agenda
Completion has become a central measure not just for SAC but for all community colleges statewide. Vision 2030 is the current strategic roadmap for the California Community Colleges, which calls on schools to prioritize credential success, expand into more rural areas, and focus on maximizing financial aid uptake.
Enrollment numbers show how many students start, but completion shows how many students actually reach the goals they came for, whether it’s a certificate, an associate degree, or even a transfer to a university.
For SAC, the message from Nery at the meeting was that the college is managing its size carefully so it can invest in students already enrolled.
“There is plenty of work ahead. There usually is,” Ingram said. “But Monday’s meeting also provided good reason to recognize the progress being made throughout RSCCD and, more importantly, the people doing the work every day.”
