The 2008 spring semester enrollment numbers are in: The Austin Community College District set a new record for spring enrollment with 32,369 students, a 3.9 percent increase from spring 2007 and an 8.4 percent increase from spring 2006.

ACC also set a new record in fall 2007 with 33,508 students enrolled, a trend that is expected to continue. “We will keep growing to meet the needs of the community,” said Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC President & CEO. “Our mission is to close the education gaps in Central Texas and build a strong workforce for the future by getting more students into higher education and career training after high school.”

ACC is the eighth largest community college in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Education rankings for single college systems. The college is also among the fastest growing, ranked 40th in the nation among public two-year colleges with 10,000 or more students (source: Community College Week analysis of U.S. Department of Education data). There are approximately 1,600 U.S. community colleges.

Among the fastest growing student populations, Round Rock experienced a 7.3 percent increase, nearly twice the overall growth rate. This spring 2,263 students from Round Rock enrolled in ACC classes, compared to 2,110 in 2007, and 2,091 in 2006. The Round Rock Higher Education Center (RRHEC), a facility owned by and shared with Texas State University, experienced 17.6 percent growth among ACC students.

“Round Rock is clearly the fastest growing community in the ACC service area without a comprehensive community college presence,” said Dr. Kinslow. “If voters approve annexation in May, the ACC Master Plan calls for building the college’s largest full-service campus in Round Rock and lowering tuition from $118 per semester hour to $39.”

ACC is the primary gateway to higher education in Central Texas, serving more than 50 percent of all high school graduates and adults who choose to enroll in post-secondary education. The college offers university transfer, associate degrees and certificates, career training, access programs that get students college-ready, and lifelong learning (professional and personal enrichment).