Mansouri: college-going decline in Tennessee demands action, urgency

The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has released this statement from President and CEO David Mansouri about the inaugural college-going status report from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which shows the state’s college-going rate for the class of 2021 fell to 52.8 percent, a 9-point decline in two years.
“We know that education beyond a high school diploma is critical to the future economic success of our state, to the future economic mobility of Tennesseans, and to ensuring Tennessee students can access great jobs that provide a pathway to a meaningful career. The declining college-going rate numbers released today show that the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing economy have had a deeply concerning impact on students and their families, particularly for students of color. We have a lot to be proud of as a state in ensuring students are prepared for, can access, and enroll in college, but we have much more work to do.
“The data released today (Monday, May 23) provide Tennessee leaders with an opportunity to come together and focus our attention and effort on helping our high school graduates make a successful transition from high school to the postsecondary destination that best suits them, whether that be to a TCAT, community college, or university. SCORE stands ready to join with state and local partners in making a renewed postsecondary commitment; analyzing data to elevate leaders, districts, nonprofits, and institutions that are leading the way; and advancing bold new policies and practices that will help more students transition to college and help them complete. It’s time to act together and to act with urgency.”
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) believes all Tennessee students deserve success in college, career, and life. SCORE supports a unified and coordinated approach to education – from kindergarten through postsecondary – focused on helping all students complete high school and postsecondary education, earning the diplomas and credentials needed for a rewarding career. An independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan advocacy and research institution, SCORE was founded in 2009 by Senator Bill Frist, MD, former US Senate Majority Leader. SCORE measures success by the academic growth and achievement of Tennessee’s students. Learn more at tnscore.org.