State ranks high with high school grads

By Emily Richmond

Tuesday, June 29, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

For once, Nevada rates better than the national average.

The percentage of Nevadans 25 years and older who had earned high school diplomas was 85.6 percent last year, compared with 84.6 percent nationally, according to a new report released today by the U.S. Census.

Nevada's showing was up significantly from 80.7 percent in 2000, according to the Census report. Nationally 80.4 percent of those 25 and older had high school diplomas in 2000.

The data, part of the Census Bureau's annual look at educational attainment, come from a survey conducted between February and April 2003.

"We get slammed every time we turn around and by a variety of individuals and organizations," said Gary Waters, president of the Nevada state Board of Education. "These new numbers (in the Census report) are certainly an excellent indicator that we're moving in exactly the direction we want to go."

Waters attributed Nevada's improvement to an increase in post-secondary opportunities throughout the state and new jobs requiring more educated workers

While gains have been made at the high school level the Silver State still lags behind the national average when it comes to higher education.

Of Nevada residents who were 25 and older last year, 21.2 percent had bachelor degrees, up from 18.2 percent in 2000. Nationally, 26.7 percent of adults in the same age group held bachelor degrees last year, another record level and an increase from 24.4 percent in 2000.

The Census report's findings could also mean future improvements in graduation rates for the state's high schools, as well as more Nevada students going on to college, Waters said.

"One of the key indicators of whether or not a child goes to college is the educational level of the parents," Waters said. "If we have more parents that show a commitment to education through their own actions, that's going to pay off when their children graduate from our schools. It may be 10 years from now before we see that benefit, but it's coming."

Catherine Levy, spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, said the new census figures bode well for the region's economic status.

"It's important to have a diversified economy and to attract and retain quality businesses," Levy said. "Having an educated workforce is a significant part of that picture."