California’s only fully online community college is no longer struggling for students as the state’s tiniest. Calbright now educates 2,300 Californians, up from about 1,000 a year ago, exceeding enrollment of four brick-and-mortar community colleges and growing at a considerable clip even as more than 40 other campuses continue to shed students and the system as a whole is just now rebounding from an enrollment collapse.

Calbright’s model of providing certificates rather than degrees in a few subject areas that have employer demand is appealing to a growing number of older students, many without a high school diploma. Unlike the traditional higher-education model of long semesters and class lectures, students at Calbright complete course sections en route to a final exam at a pace that works for them. There are no lectures led by instructors, but teachers and tutors are on standby if students need help.

The campus doesn’t charge tuition, uses digital-only textbooks free of cost, and provides Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots on loan to students who seek them without charging a dime.

Several students who spoke with CalMatters said the industries for which Calbright prepares them are friendly to work-from-home arrangements, something they crave after years of being on their feet in service or construction jobs.