An educated and trained workforce is critical for Washington's economic stability and competitiveness. The highest-paying, fastest-growing jobs require education or training beyond high school. In order for Washington to have a workforce that can compete in the global market, post-secondary education must be affordable and accessible for all.

Affordability

A serious obstacle for most students in obtaining some post-secondary education is cost. Put simply, financial aid and personal income are not keeping pace with rising tuition rates. Families in Washington devote a very large share of family income, even after financial aid, to attend public two- and four-year colleges and universities, which enroll 88 percent of college students in the state. For Washington's poorest families, post-secondary education is virtually out of grasp due to high costs. 

Source: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 2006

Access

College enrollments vary significantly by race and ethnicity. Although college participation rates for Latinos, African-Americans and Native Americans have slightly increased in recent years, there is a persistent gap between African American, Latino and Native American students who go to college and their White and Asian peers.

Source: SESRC, 2005

It is significant to note that the majority of Washington students seeking post-secondary education attend a two-year community or technical college in Washington. Yet, community colleges are becoming less affordable for Washington's poorest families in recent years (National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 2006).

Source: SESRC, 2005

Preparation

Finally, many students with the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education are finding they do not have the necessary requirements, skills, and knowledge to be successful in their endeavors. This is largely due to the fact that high school graduation requirements do not match what is required to get into college.

Red = Diploma requirements lower than four-year requirements
Yellow = Aligned
Blue = Diploma requirements higher than four-year requirements

In addition, more than half of Washington high school graduates who enrolled in a community or technical college had to take remedial courses before they could earn college credit because they did not acquire the necessary skills in high school (SBCTC, 2006).

In today's world, education is more important than ever. Post-secondary education is both a right to individual opportunity for which all students should have, and it is a smart budget solution to fuel Washington's robust economy. To stay vibrant and competitive, Washington needs to eliminate the barriers to post-secondary education so that all students can pursue their goals.