High school graduation season is almost upon us and while most graduating seniors are preparing to turn their tassels, more students ought to be thinking about how they will continue their education. Did you know that by 2018, 61 percent of all jobs in Arizona will require some postsecondary training beyond high school?
Here in Arizona, only 52 percent of high school graduates pursue any form of higher education after graduating high school and many of those students never actually complete a certificate of degree. This serious issue calls into question our future quality of life and poses a real threat to the vitality of our state’s economy.
The Getting AHEAD (Access to Higher Education and Degrees) project was prompted by the very alarming reality that Arizona lags the nation in the percentage of adults with a higher education degree while the majority of the jobs in the 21st century will require post-secondary training. Now more than ever before, Arizona high school students need to be prepared for completing the next step in their educational journey for a successful career. And, for our state to remain economically competitive, we require a new model for higher education that is focused on college and career preparation, improved student access and affordability and operational efficiency. This new model is currently underway through Getting AHEAD.
To meet our state’s educational and economic demand, Arizona’s higher education leaders have forged new partnerships that allow for a seamless transition from a community college to one of the universities, established new locations around the state for students to obtain a bachelor’s degree and expanded online degree offerings.
In fact, new data shows that the number of students transferring from a community college to a university is up by nearly a thousand over the last two years, from 8,995 in 2008-09 to 9,784 in 2010-11. The same goes for the number of Arizona community college transfer students who were awarded a bachelor’s degree from one of Arizona’s state universities; that figure has jumped from 5,772 in 2008-09 to 6,471 in 2010-11.
There are now more than 1,200 pathway programs between Arizona’s community colleges and universities, many of which offer a prescribed set of courses that keep students on track toward their degree and offer guaranteed admission into a university. In some cases, students can save up to 50 percent on the cost of a bachelor’s degree and complete it without ever having to leave a community college campus. NAU-Yavapai and ASU Colleges at Lake Havasu City are examples of new university locations offering select bachelor’s degrees with a lower tuition rate than at the main university campuses. And, in the case of NAU-Yavapai, students have the option of completing their degree in three years. Approximately 12,000 students are taking advantage of these new access points.
Although Arizona’s higher education landscape looks much different today than it did just a few years ago, this work means little if we don’t continue to work in tandem with leaders across the entire education continuum to raise awareness about the opportunities that exist in higher education and the importance of planning for college and career. Only through that communication and collaboration will we ensure a strong pipeline of students moving from K-12 to higher education and ultimately positively impacting our economy.
An important resource for students and parents in that process is the website www.aztransfer.com. Just as the name indicates, this website helps students transfer from high school to community college to university. It provides valuable information about how students can earn college credit while still in high school, how community college courses transfer to a university, what pathway programs are available and how to apply to a degree program.
Whether you are still in school, looking to advance your career skills, or are ready to take that step toward completing your degree, Getting AHEAD is making it more convenient and affordable for Arizonans to complete their educational journey and embark on their career. We encourage all who can benefit from these resources to take advantage of them and to spread the word to family and friends.
Rufus Glasper is chancellor of the Maricopa County Community Colleges District. Tom Anderes is president of the Arizona Board of Regents. Both serve as co-chairs of Getting AHEAD. Get all the latest news about the project online at www.GettingAheadAZ.org, on Facebook at “Getting Ahead — Access to Higher Education and Degrees,” and on Twitter at @GettingAheadAZ.
Dale Whiting posted at 12:27 pm on Fri, May 4, 2012.
I just don't believe what I am reading! Arizona's community college system is rivaling California's. What will we be seeing next?
Arizona Willie posted at 3:21 pm on Fri, May 4, 2012.
ALL colleges and universities should be FREE. Admission should be based on testing.
Only the cream should be admitted to the top schools like Harvard etc. etc. and the lower you score determines what schools you can go to.
No one's Daddy should be able to endow a building to get them into the school of their choice. All testing should be double blind testing so the students last name is meaningless.
Advancement by the merit system.
Want to go to an Ivy League school?
Work your patootie off in high school.
When I went to high school ( I was fortunate to go to a private boys school where the tuition now is over $10,000 / year ) they said if we wanted to pass we had to do at least 4 hours homework a night.
They weren't kidding.
Now a teacher assigning homework is accused of child abuse ( exaggeration -- but not by much ).
50% of all college and university administrators should be fired. Then the money they get from taxes would be plenty good to run the schools on.
Not having a totally free education system perpetuates the class system.
While I was put into that system by my parents, and benefited from it, I didn't think about it THEN. It just was the way things were.
But as a geezer I can look at the situation and say it isn't right and needs to be changed.
chatmandu002 posted at 9:50 am on Sat, May 5, 2012.
LOL... Strange comment Comrade AZwillie, Make all education a communist controlled system and free to all. I suppose that only good old communism should be taught in the schools. Welcome to the Socialist Federal Republic of America.
Arizona Willie posted at 10:59 am on Sat, May 5, 2012.
chamandu002 -- not a matter of " communism " at all.
We claim everyone has an equal shot at life in America and that is a big FAT lie.
Education is the key to what you will achieve ( barring unusual events such as an invention or athletic prowess ).
The price of education ( tuition ) is set to keep out the " undesirables ".
The Ivy League schools have their tuition set so that only people from the top classes can < normally > attend. They have a few scholarships reserved for the great unwashed to prove they don't discriminate. haw ha ha ha
Companies require a receptionist to have a degree in order to be able to legally screen for " undesirables ".
Education and money go hand in hand.
My idea just allows everyone to have a TRULY equal and fair shot because then getting into their college of choice would be entirely up to them and not dependent in any way on their family name or wealth.
The idea does not require teaching communism. And you know it.
Nothing communistic about it.
It is the essential marketplace where you earn your place instead of inheriting it.
Socialistic? Yes. Nothing wrong with that. Our country practices socialism constantly.
Communistic? No ... not in the slightest.
BTW We already have a Socialist Republic of America and the righties are bound and determined to make it the Corporate Republic of America.
mnjcpa posted at 4:36 pm on Sat, May 5, 2012.
Chatman - definitely LOL. Willie's the same guy that "retired" in his early 50's with a pension that over his lifetime costs someone else (his company/customers) multiple millions and he thinks that's perfectly normal. Unfortunately there's lots of takers out there and largely why America's in trouble.
Arizona Willie posted at 6:33 pm on Sat, May 5, 2012.
mnjcp ... you just can't get over the FACT that I and my UNION brothers, successfully INVESTED our money and now we get to receive interest from those funds in our senior years.
Strange, Republicans are always preaching people should take care of themselves and be responsible for themselves --- and when we do exactly that -- you moan and snivel that it is somehow wrong and unfair.
You bet I'm getting millions.
And I earned every d*a*m*n penny of it working in conditions you wouldn't begin to consider.
I've worked in sewage pumping stations ( oh they are SO nice ) and rendering plants and nuclear power plants and hospitals and refineries. I've waded through snow up to my knees in 30 below wind chill and worked in a space you couldn't turn around in in 130 degree heat.
Swivel chair riders like you would never do what I have done for society -- but you sure can b*i*t*c*h about the rewards I received.
My millions are the result of INVESTMENT.
Which you as a cpa should well understand.
But you don't see yourself making out as well as I did so you moan and snivel.
Guess what --- I wake up every morning and log on and check my bank accounts and GRIN.
I got nothing to feel bad about. I EARNED IT.
mnjcpa posted at 9:31 pm on Sat, May 5, 2012.
I don't think it's a stretch that my understanding of money, taxes, & investment is a tad more advanced than someone that worked in a sewage plant. It's not about me - it's my client businesses that I contrast your benefits with.
No one that works in a menial job as you describe should obtain your kind of windfall. I do understand it well. You're company and their customers are paying for your millions in benefits. Every contractor client I have that bids on union jobs automatically increase their costs by triple to absorb costs like yours. But I forgot....you're the same guy that thinks education should be free.
Is there anything else taxpayers can pay for you Willie?
Arizona Willie posted at 10:27 pm on Sat, May 5, 2012.
mnjcpa, I wasn't employed by the sewage plant as you well know. I was working there on a project.
My job was hardly a menial job. I was paid pretty well and had a good life.
And NO COMPANY OR IT'S CUSTOMER(S) ARE PAYING FOR MY PENSIONS -- GET OFF OF THAT CR*P.
We invested so many dollars every hour we worked in our pension funds and those funds make tons of money and the funds pay my pensions -- not a contractor and NOT TAXPAYERS EITHER ( more cra* you keep spewing from your jealousy ).
Envious people like you are hopeless.
Enjoy working till you're 80 and cursing people who invested and retired.
mnjcpa posted at 11:25 pm on Sat, May 5, 2012.
You think my comments are from envy? Hardly. My retirement is set. I love entrepreneurs who risk their livelihoods and families future to build a dream that's all but been destroyed by liberalism.
You're fooling yourself if you think the jobs you described would create a multi-million dollar windfall. It wasn't earned through investments - that's a joke. It doesn't matter what position you held or how much your union choked customers to pay your benefits. What you did, risked, and earned is giganticly out of proportion as compared to private sector employees.
When I see your comments about free education or some other entitlement - count on being called out for it. People don't retire in their early 50's - unless they inherit, win the lottery, or have a union job. You're part of the reason America's in trouble and I might suggest wake up.