Like K-12 education, studies show that online instruction reduced the academic performance of college students.3 In addition, we have seen declines in both college enrollment and the rate of first-year college students who continue their education into a second year.4 These declines are most pronounced at community colleges and open-access programs.
Some of this decline was due to a supply-induced shortage resulting from colleges unable to offer remote learning options for many technical and vocational programs.