WV COMMUNITY AND TECH COLLEGES HAVE LOST 5,000 STUDENTS PAST FIVE YEARS

(12/07/2015)
West Virginia's nine community and technical colleges have lost more than 5,000 students since 2010, according to higher education officials.

The decline has put enrollment at just over 21,000.

The 20-percent enrollment drop is primarily related to economic ups and downs, with many students leaving classrooms when they find jobs.

The state's four-year public universities have experienced similar but smaller drops in enrollment. The number of students attending four-year schools in West Virginia has dropped 5.3 percent since 2010.