NASHVILLE — The State Collaborative On Reforming Education (SCORE) has released this statement from President and CEO David Mansouri about the college-going status report from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which shows the state’s college-going rate for the class of 2022 saw a 1.5 percentage point increase in the number of students who entered college directly after high school.
Education beyond high school shapes our state’s economic future, promotes upward mobility for students and families, and unlocks rewarding careers. Today’s release of college-going figures for Tennessee’s Class of 2022 reveals a 1.5 point increase in the number of students who entered college directly after high school. While this rise is important as it marks the largest single-year growth since the Tennessee Promise Scholarship began in 2015, it still remains lower than our college-going rate high from just a few years ago. There is still work to be done to ensure all students are on a successful post-high school path to a life of economic independence.
Importantly, as we take a deeper look at the numbers, we see particularly promising progress for some of our highest needs students. Hispanic female students led the way in improvement, with the largest growth rate across any race/gender category. Additionally, the differences in the college-going rate between White and Black students is at its narrowest point since 2019.
Looking ahead, the data released today presents Tennessee leaders with an opportunity to focus our attention and efforts on facilitating a successful transition for Tennessee high school graduates to the right postsecondary path, whether it be a TCAT, community college, a credential or certificate, or university. SCORE stands ready to advance this work with state leaders, higher education partners, and stakeholders.