Quality education is an essential part of ensuring a strong economic future. If Oregon can commit to preparing every high school student for college, work and citizenship it will be making an investment that benefits the entire state. Individuals who have a bachelor’s degree earn 60% more than those with only a high school credential, generating greater economic benefits to the communities in which they live. A well-educated workforce and successful schools are also important to retaining and attracting employers in-high growth industries. That makes education everyone’s business, whether or not everyone has children in the school system.
Graduation from high school no longer guarantees the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the workplace. Oregon students who leave high school without or with only a diploma face significantly higher rates of unemployment and lower rates of earning than those who go on to college. That is because to qualify for today’s family-wage jobs workers require high skills. Whether on the assembly line or in top management, employers are seeking employees who demonstrate complex problem solving, analytical and communication skills. This means that the same skills young people need to succeed in college, they need to succeed in the workplace. Of the 10 fastest growing jobs in Oregon, 6 require postsecondary education. And demand for highly skilled workers will continue to increase in the coming decades; the trajectory of Oregon’s economy reflects that of the nation’s economy.
Research reveals that only 1 in 4 Oregon high school students is ready for college. And among those entering 4-year colleges, only half attain their degrees within 6 years. Degree completion is significantly lower among community college goers. In the formula for a healthy state economy, Oregon must ensure that all students are prepared for college (whether or not they choose to go), work and citizenship. When our young people are well educated they land better jobs, become more active consumers, pay more taxes and have greater civic involvement. They are also less likely to require social support services and be incarcerated. All Oregon young people deserve a good education. It is important to realize that that investment does not only benefit students, it benefits us all.
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