Ed Board Wants More Young Adults With Post-Secondary Education

The Idaho Board of Education wants 60 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds to have some kind of post-secondary education by the year 2020.

Representatives from the board will host a forum at 7:30 Thursday night at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies. The forum will explain proposed strategies behind the Complete College Idaho initiative, and to garner community input on what else can be explored.

According to the Department of Education, 33 percent of Idahoans have a post-secondary certificate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 24 percent have a bachelor’s degree.

“Whether it be a trade or college, there’s a lot of opportunity out there for those who are trained,” said Bonneville District 93 superintendent Dr. Charles Schackett.

For Schackettt, putting emphasis on higher education is important.

“If we can get families involved with this, more kids need to go on for post secondary education,” said Schackett.

The Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence was also a host at the forum. Representative Park Price said businesses have a huge interest in increasing higher ed graduates.

“What we want to know is, what are the barriers for kids to go on right now?” he said. “Is it cost, is it the amount of preparation they have to do? What is the barrier right now?”

The forum aims to answer that question from folks in Idaho Falls.

Price said they want parents, business leaders, teachers, and community members to be there on Thursday night to give their input.

For more information on the goals outlined by the Board of Education you can visit their website at http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov and follow the “Complete College Idaho” link on the homepage.