Issues

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas ranks 29th among the states in terms of the percent of adults who have completed a bachelor's degree or higher. 

Approximately only 24.5 percent of Texans age 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher degree.

For every 100 Texas ninth grade students, only 13 are expected to graduate with an associate's or bachelor's degree within six years.  Only about 45 percent of graduating from public high schools enroll the next fall in Texas public colleges or universities.

Experts predict if this trend continues over the next two decades the average educational attainment of Texas' workforce and the real income of its residents are expected to decline.

This fall the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reported the highest enrollment figures for Texas' community colleges to date. Texas community colleges grew nearly three times faster than the state's four year public universities this year.

Community colleges now enroll 48 percent of students statewide, while public universities enroll 40 percent.

Overall, enrollment in Texas higher education has increased by 19.7 percent from fall of 2000 to fall of 2005.  Even though higher education enrollment continues to increase, officials are a long way from meeting their "Closing the Gaps by 2015" participation goal of 1.6 million. 

An estimated 58 percent of the state's higher education enrollment growth from fall 2004 to fall 2005 were from the state's growing Hispanic population.

Of the 143 public and independent institutions of higher education, an estimated 1.21 million students were enrolled in the fall of 2006.  Eighty percent of this growth is occurring at community colleges.

In 2003, the median annual salary of American workers with less than a high school diploma was only $21,600, compared to $30,800 for high school graduates and $49,900 for those with a bachelor's degree.

Those who complete high school and continue their education are more likely to obtain higher paying jobs, and many positions are only open to those who successfully complete specific higher education programs.

In the future at least ninety percent of the fastest growing jobs in the information and service economy will require at least some postsecondary education. 

The value of higher education ranges well beyond private and public economic benefit, and today, with the requirements for a highly skilled workforce, its need and significance are more important than ever before.