Governor Rell: State Joins ‘Complete College Alliance’

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that Connecticut has joined Complete College America, a national nonprofit organization working to dramatically increase the number of young adults with a college degree. The group is developing aggressive state- and campus-level action plans to meet those goals.

            The rate at which Americans complete postsecondary degrees – unchanged for decades – is falling woefully short of the country’s needs and potential. By 2020, the percentage of young adults holding baccalaureate degrees is expected to be 30 percent, compared with 34 percent in 1993. After three decades of growth, education trend lines in Connecticut have also turned downward.

            “Connecticut has long been known for its highly educated work force – it has been a primary driver of our economic success over the centuries,” Governor Rell said. “Yet today we see signs of a potential slippage. This has serious implications for both our economic and social well-being. Now is the time to take bold steps to reverse these trends by focusing on the importance of a meaningful postsecondary education credential.

            “I am pleased that Connecticut is at the forefront of a national alliance to significantly enhance student success and increase our number of college graduates – an effort which ultimately raises family incomes and strengthens our state’s economy,” the Governor said. “Fortunately, we have state education and work force leaders already collaborating on ways for schools and colleges to work better together to strengthen student success.”

            Through Executive Order 2A, Governor Rell established the Connecticut Commission for the Advancement of 21^st Century Skills and Careers – commonly known as the P-20 Council – which is co-chaired by Higher Education Commissioner Michael P. Meotti and State Education Commissioner Mark McQuillan. The Council, made up of members from education, higher education, work force training, philanthropy and community-based organizations, is working to align current education systems, build clearer student pathways and better track student success.

            Connecticut and 16 other states form the Complete College Alliance, a select group of leading states committed to significantly increasing the number of students successfully completing college and closing attainment gaps. The members are: Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.

            “Less than 40 percent of young adults hold an associate’s degree or higher,” said Stan Jones, President of Complete College America. “The numbers for most states are even worse. For states and America to be competitive, 6 of 10 adults between the ages of 25 and 35 will need to hold a postsecondary degree or credential of value in the labor market by 2020. That’s why the commitment made by Governor Rell to students – and the higher education institutions that serve them – is so important to Connecticut’s long-term economic and social well-being.”

            Established in 2009, Complete College America will provide Connecticut with tangible and practical support to help implement a range of strategies that will bring needed changes in the culture and practices of its public postsecondary institutions. To join the Alliance a state – in partnership with its colleges and universities – must pledge to make college completion a top priority and commit to:

• Setting state- and campus-specific degree and credential completion goals
• Developing and implementing aggressive state- and campus-level action plans for meeting the state’s completion goals
• Collecting and reporting common measures of progress toward the state’s completion goals

            Alliance states will receive in-depth technical support from America’s leading experts on improving college success, including assistance in building consensus for reform, developing policy action plans, guidance on applying for and effectively using federal funding to produce more degrees, and annual networking opportunities.

            “We are excited about combining our P-20 Council resources with those from Complete College America,” said Higher Education Commissioner Meotti. “The education level of our citizens is the single largest contributor to Connecticut’s long-term success. We need changes across our education system – stronger partnerships, new services, better productivity – to assure more students are prepared for a rapidly changing global economy. Complete College America will help us realize our change agenda.”

            Five national foundations are providing multi-year support to Complete College America, including the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Lumina Foundation for Education.

            “The long-term economic growth of any state is tied to the educational attainment of its citizens,” said Jones. “Reform-minded states like Connecticut are taking the lead in addressing this serious national issue head on. The implications of ‘business as usual’ are too great not to act. That’s why the leadership taken by Governor Rell will have such a profound impact in Connecticut and beyond.”