The Emergence of Local Practices in a Devolved Workforce Investment System: Barriers and Possibilities for Enhancing Degree Completion (original) (raw)

2017, Economic Development Quarterly

Policy makers in the United States are increasingly focused on improving the nation's college completion rates. Greater attention and resources were committed to adult education and credentialing midway between former President Barack Obama's announcement of the 2020 Goal for College Completion and its end point, with a goal for the United States to "lead the world in college degrees" 1 by 2020. This agenda responds in part to poor college completion rates: nearly 21.6% of Americans aged 25 to 64, 36.2 million in 2014, have started but not completed any degree, including 2-and 4-year degrees. 2 These individuals lose many advantages that accompany college completion. Compared with the average high school graduate, the average college graduate with a 2-or 4-year degree earns more and is less vulnerable to job loss during recession (Hout, 2012). The loss of opportunity due to noncompletion disproportionately affects some groups and regions: Over 26% of Native American and Black adults had some college in 2014. Although the problem exists nationwide, the lowest share with some college (17.3%) is found in the Northeast, where the percentage with a bachelor's or more is also highest. One-fifth or more adults in other regions fall in the some college category, with the highest in the West (23.6%), though the South has the lowest share holding any degree. This phenomenon emerged as a significant problem by the 1990s as the share with high school degrees or less dropped, and college access expanded (Fischer & Hout, 2006); in 1980, 8.6% had some college but by 1990, the percentage had risen to 20.4%. Over the next two decades, the share with college degrees climbed from about 30% to 38%, but the share with some college remained above one fifth. 3 As research on regional economic growth indicators has shown, benefits of degree attainment extend beyond the individual. Hoyman and Faricy (2009) found that the percentage of individuals with a bachelor's degree in a metropolitan statistical area had a significant positive effect on average wage, wage growth, and job growth. Similarly, Gottlieb and Fogarty (2003) found a positive relationship between the percentage 719831E DQXXX10.