The trend that everyone expected to see this fall is coming true: enrollment at community colleges this fall has surged 12.8 percent.

That is the figure the Missouri Community College Association tabulated after getting the headcount on the first day of classes at community colleges across the state. In total, 98,253 students are taking classes at community colleges in the state this fall — 11,119 more than last year.

Community colleges started seeing increases in enrollment last year and expected that they would see big numbers this fall as more people search out a lower-cost option for higher education and as more laid-off workers look to get retrained for new jobs.

“During these difficult economic times, we have experienced significant enrollment growth,” Marcia Pfeiffer, president of St. Louis Community College’s Florissant Valley campus, said in a news release. “For many Missourians we are the best — and sometimes the only — education or training option.”

The biggest increase was a 33.5 percent jump at Crowder College in Neosho. Not far behind it was Moberly Area Community College, with a 28.2 percent increase, and East Central Community College, with a 24.8 percent increase.

Overall, the more rural community colleges had the biggest enrollment increases, while the more urban schools had more modest gains.

St. Louis Community College, the largest community college in the state, was up 8 percent from last fall for a total of 27,113 students.

Community colleges aren’t the only part of higher education seeing more students this fall. As I wrote in a story that ran in today’s paper, many private universities are seeing enrollment increases this fall after putting into place lower-than-normal tuition increases and throwing more money into financial aid. Public universities are also reporting strong numbers.

Below is a break-down of community college enrollment increases on the first day of class. The official numbers based on further on in the semester will be reported to the state in October.

• Crowder: 33.5 percent

• Moberly Area: 28.2 percent

• East Central: 24.8 percent

• North Central: 20.6 percent

• Ozarks Technical: 15.6 percent

• Jefferson: 15.4 percent

• State Fair: 13 percent

• Three Rivers: 12.3 percent

• Mineral Area: 11.8 percent

• MCC-KC: 8 percent

• St. Louis: 8 percent

• St. Charles: 7.4

The Grade is the St. Louis region’s premier blog on education and child welfare. To read other recent posts, go to www.stltoday,com/thegrade.