Recently, in the past decade or so, higher education has been under intense scrutiny. The idea of “just get a college degree” being the solution to all of life’s problems is rapidly dissolving. College degrees are more expensive and worth less in the workplace, a trend which has led to countless colleges closing.
However, the positive impact of having an educated society is undeniable, both for individuals and the overall community. Those with a bachelor’s degree work more, make more, and rely less on social services. It’s not a solution for everyone, but as a general rule, education is important.
Kentucky, a state which has had historically low rates of education, has recognized this. Kentucky’s goal to have a 60% postsecondary education rate by 2030 was a very direct consequence of this. Of course postsecondary education cannot be reduced to just high school versus undergraduate education. There are countless other certificates and paths available to individuals.
However, Kentucky’s rate of undergraduate graduation has gone up 4.3% in the past five years. This is pretty remarkable when one considers how the vast majority of America is seeing less degrees being given out. It’s also unsurprising when looking at what Kentucky has been doing to promote higher education.
Kentucky has implemented several strategies to ensure that people mature to graduation and student success within college. These include screening for students who cannot meet their basic needs, helping with transfers, and improving gateway courses. Each of these efforts has been shown to be vital in ensuring that people stay in college. Or in many cases, ensuring that people don’t want to leave in the first place.
So looking at Kentucky today, they’re working harder than almost any other state to help its citizens get educated. Concerns around the price and validity of a degree will always be valid. However, giving people the resources to graduate when they have the desire to will always be a good thing.