A college focus . . .

College attendance was the focus in today's Seattle Times.  The article focuses on the declining percentage of students going to college after high school graduation in our state.  Though we have one of the highest percentages of people with a BA degree in the area it is because of the large number of people moving in that have a degree.  Why are they moving here; because this is where the jobs are.  Unfortunately, they are not all being filled by graduates from Washington high schools and colleges.

As University of Washington computer-science professor Ed Lazowska says: "We are creating great jobs, and they're going to other people's children."

This article, also in today's Times, focuses on the paradox of college graduates in the area being high even with declining numbers of Washington high school graduates choosing to go to college after graduation.  The chart from the paper shows this paradox.

These articles mirror the focus we have created to ensure that all students are college and career ready.  In June and September 2012 I shared in this post and this post the work of the ad-hoc committee the Board established to identify a vision for ALL students.  We want ALL of our students to have viable options for success in post high school learning and work.  Viable does not mean that all will attend a four year college, but all must continue learning after graduation if they want to be positioned for a living wage job.

The vision that the Board accepted from the committee is below.  We have been sharing it in building and public meetings throughout the district and community.

In the presentation we share data for our school system similar to that shared in the Times articles.  Though our percentage is higher than the state average we believe that it could and should be higher.  The chart below shows the percentage of students attending a two and four school immediately following high school graduation.