More students are attaining high school, college diplomas

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 | 11:03 a.m.

Nevadans are more educated than they were 10 years ago, but the state still remains below the national average in those attaining a college degree, according to a new report based on 2000 Census numbers.

The number of Nevadans who hold a bachelor's degree rose from 15.3 percent in 1990 to 18.2 percent in 2000, compared with the national average of 24.4 percent. The number of residents with at least some college education rose from 47.2 percent in 1990 to 51.3 percent in 2000, compared with the national average of 51.8 percent, according to the U. S. Census Bureau.

"I don't think that we are making progress when you compare us to the rest of the country," said Jane Nichols, Nevada's higher education chancellor. "That is our competition. We are essentially competing with the rest of the nation for business."

While attainment of higher education goals in Nevada fell short, progress was made in the number of students attaining high school degrees.

According to the report, 78.8 percent of the population over 25 years old in 1990 had completed their high school educations, compared with 80.7 percent in 2000. The national average was 80.4 percent in 2000.

"I think it's a combination of factors," Augie Orci, Clark County School District deputy superintendent. "The first factor is that there are a lot of people who come to our community who value education in addition to the fact that the district is trying to provide these alternative programs where kids can succeed even if they do falter."

Orci said the district has created programs such as tutorials and special classes for kids that are behind but is still limited by lack of resources.

"We would like to provide tuition-free summer school for one thing," Orci said. "That would be a big thing where a lot of the kids who are credit short can make up. But, when you have to pay $90 per credit, it takes a lot of kids out of the ball park."

Education experts say Nevada's progress can be attributed to a more competitive work force and the state's migrant population.

According to a 2001 survey done by the Nevada Development Authority more newcomers tend to have baccalaureate degrees.

"Part of what we are seeing could be the impact of migration," said Jeff Hardcastle, the state demographer. "A larger share of the people who hold a bachelor's degree come from out of state."

Those looking to a future know that given Nevada's growth, it will create a more competitive work force that requires more than a high school education, Hardcastle said.

The trend of needing a college education is tracked in a recent report by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education. By 2008, twice as many employers will require new employees to have at least an associate's degree for most of the 10 fastest growing occupations in Nevada, according to the commission.

Topping the list of jobs that will require at least two years of college will likely be positions in marketing, office and administrative support, sales and nursing, according to the report.

University and Community College System officials say that making higher education more accessible is a priority.

Nichols said the system is trying to make it easier for disadvantaged students to get a college education by increasing the availability of financial aid, recruiting heavily from the state and making it easier for courses to transfer from the community colleges to a university.

"We just have to to work harder to increase the number of people who attend college," Nichols said. "That makes a significant impact on the economy and the attractiveness to people wanting to move to the state."