Community Colleges failing to recognize the importance of setting goals to increase the number of residents who have post-secondary degrees or certificates
In an editorial appearing in azcentral.com, Linda Valdez lamented the failure of Arizona Community Colleges to increase the number of persons who have post-secondary degrees or certificates. You may view her editorial by clicking here.
She writes that “ by 2020, 68 percent of jobs in Arizona will require a post-secondary education, according to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. At least 31 states have recognized the importance of setting goals to increase the number of residents who have post-secondary degrees or certificates. Arizona isn’t one of them.”
She stated that “ Not only is Arizona’s post-secondary education level low, it is significantly lower among the fastest growing demographic in the state. Currently, the majority of K-12 students in Arizona are Latino.”
Valdez quotes Arizona State University President Michael Crow as saying that raising Arizona’s post-secondary education rate is a “prime directive” and an “apple-pie agenda. It is essential to our economic competitiveness and our social and cultural success.“
That’s in line with what states like Colorado and Texas have done in recent years, says Valdez.
Wouldn’t it be great if Yavapai College began to focus on increasing the number of residents who have post secondary degrees and certificates in the County rather than continuing its wild spending spree on nice but unnecessary building projects! Wouldn’t it be great if the Governing Board set a specific goal that we all could understand for the coming year for the present administration to reach!!! Oh yes, the Carver model doesn’t allow setting a simple goal. Maybe someone will have the courage to finally get rid of that model.