The Case for Improved Higher Education Access & Attainment
For many generations of Americans, a high school diploma represented the route to a good job that paid living wages. Times have changed. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, the percentage of the U.S. workforce requiring some level of postsecondary education is up from 28 percent in 1973 to 59 percent in 2007 and is expected to increase to 63 percent by 2018.
Lumina Foundation's goal is to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality postsecondary degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. This means we must produce 16 million more graduates than we will at current rates. To reach this higher education attainment goal, Lumina, along with various stakeholders and partners, is focusing on three critical outcomes:
- Student Preparedness: Students are prepared academically, financially and socially for success in education beyond high school.
- Student Success: Higher education attainment rates improve significantly.
- Productivity: Higher education productivity increases to expand capacity and serve more students.
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