2030 Goal Leader Update: >60% of Floridians 25-64 have a high-value postsecondary certificate, degree, or training experience
The Florida College Access Network (FCAN) is Florida’s collaborative network committed to ensuring all Floridians have the opportunity to achieve an education beyond high school and a rewarding career. We envision a Florida working together where education is the pathway to economic mobility for all. We are proud to be a trustee of the Florida Chamber Foundation and Florida 2030 Blueprint goal leader for the SAIL to 60 metric – 60% of working-age Floridians with education beyond high school – within the Talent Supply & Education pillar.
With the latest release of the Lumina Foundation’s Stronger Nation report, and as reported on TheFloridaScorecard.org, we are pleased to share that non-degreed postsecondary attainment among working-age Floridians, those with a workforce certificate or industry certification, increased from 7.9% to 8.3%. In addition, Florida degree attainment (associate’s degree or higher) has risen to 46.2%, based on the latest American Community Survey estimates. Florida has reached a total share of 54.5% attainment, exceeding the national average. Florida now ranks 24th among the 50 U.S. States – 4th among the 10 largest states – and has increased its educational attainment from 52.2% in 2018.
While the improvements are worthy of applause, these positive trends will need to accelerate if Florida is to reach its 60% attainment goal by 2030, and gaps in degree attainment require immediate attention to achieve the goal for all Floridians.
Florida’s students, community partners, institutions, and policymakers are coming together to drive Florida closer toward meeting the future economic demands of our state. However, let’s acknowledge there’s so much more to do to ensure all residents in our state can benefit from the power of postsecondary education. For example, too many in our Black and Latino communities are underrepresented in these figures, and gaps persist. We must continue to work together to close these gaps.
At FCAN we strive to expand knowledge of research, data, policies, and practices that impact postsecondary access and attainment in Florida. And we believe collaboration is a key to accelerating and sustaining aligned efforts to meeting our shared goals. For more information, visit www.floridacollegeaccess.org. Finally, learn more about the work being done to increase postsecondary attainment at the 2024 Talent Strong Summit – Access for All, May 8-10 in Orlando, Florida (www.fcansummit.org) and the Florida Chamber Foundation’s annual Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit on June 26 in Tampa.