Louisiana is moving closer to its goal of having an educational attainment rate of 60 percent. The Board of Regents says it is currently 52.5 percent, more than a full percentage point higher than last year.
The education attainment rate is the proportion of people between the ages of 25 and 64 that have a credential beyond a high school diploma. Dr. Tristan Denley says a college degree or certificate from a tech school is essential in today’s economy.
“Employers right here in the state are asking for people to have exactly these credentials. And so, by providing this access, we really do enable people to be able to get the good jobs that they want to get,” Denley explained.
Denley is the deputy commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Board of Regents. Louisiana has set a goal of 60% educational attainment rate by 2030. He says this year, 80,000 graduates earned credentials, which is a new record for the state. Denley says these graduates will on average have significantly higher salaries than peers with only a high school diploma.
“After people graduate from that program, their personal income increases on average by $36,000. So it makes a huge difference to them, to their families, to their communities,” Denley said.
Denley says a variety of programs and initiatives are working to push Louisiana’s education attainment rate to that 60%t mark. He says it starts with improving overall student success and expanding education and training for adults.
“Access and availability of higher education across the state, helping many more people be involved in all kinds of higher education,” Denley said.