Earning a credential after high school opens doors to an array of career and advancement opportunities in Washington state.
Just 43% of Washington’s high school class of 2019 is projected to complete a credential by age 26. Our Black, Hispanic and Latinx, and Native American students are earning credentials at even lower rates.
Partnership for Learning and the Washington Roundtable are leading a conversation about policy actions and implementation that seek to address inequities, increase credential attainment, and ensure more Washington youth are positioned to successfully pursue careers and opportunities in their home state.
The crisis of stagnant or declining postsecondary enrollment – a concern even before the pandemic – is deepening at Washington’s public two- and four-year colleges and universities. According to data shared with the Washington Roundtable by the state’s public postsecondary institutions, 70,000 fewer students are enrolled in Washington compared to pre-pandemic levels. The decline in postsecondary enrollment contrasts with the increasing economic need for credentialed workers in Washington state. From Nov. 2021 to Nov. 2022, employers added more than 130,000 jobs in Washington. That follows a decade of economic growth when a credential—such as a degree, apprenticeship, or certificate—had become essential for jobs that offer a good salary and advancement opportunities. Read more about the picture of postsecondary enrollment in Washington in fall 2022 in our latest report.
This spring brought the rapid escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented economic disruption, and a much-needed public conversation about racial equity. The Washington Roundtable and Partnership for Learning are committed to playing a collaborative and productive role as we move forward, together.
REPORT: Right now, it’s estimated that just 41% of our high school students go on to earn a credential by age 26. To ensure students are prepared for jobs and opportunity, Washington must rapidly increase the rate at which students prepare for, pursue, and complete postsecondary credentials, according to a new report from the Washington Roundtable and Partnership for Learning.
High school students in the Edmonds School District graduate at a higher rate than their peers statewide. They also enroll in post-high school education at much higher rates. What is driving the district’s outsized success?
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