December 2009

Dear Editor,

The days when a "Three R's" education was sufficient to provide a middle-class lifestyle are long over. Though jobs requiring low-level skills continue to exist (currently, only about 18 percent of jobs in Illinois), they no longer pay enough to provide access to home ownership, a comfortable retirement and other hallmarks of a traditional middle-class lifestyle.

Little wonder surveys show that most Americans believe earning a college degree is essential to success in the U.S. But despite widespread acceptance of the importance of education beyond high school, college attainment levels have been stagnant in the U.S. for decades, while they have been rising in almost every other country in the developed world. Simply stated, other countries are doing a better job of training the workforce needed to compete in the technology-driven global economy.

Only about 39 percent of American adults have earned either a two- or four-year college degree. That statistic, along with concerns over alarming high school and college drop-out rates, have led advocates as diverse as the Lumina Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and President Barack Obama to call for a national effort to increase college graduation rates, particularly at the two-year degree level.

A focus on the two-year degree level is particularly important because in the next decade, a large percentage of jobs in Illinois -- 41 percent -- will be at the "middle-skill" level, requiring more education than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor's degree. And significantly, these jobs can provide access to a middle-class lifestyle.

What are these middle-skills jobs? They come in a wide range of industries and occupations -- engineering technicians, healthcare professionals (nurses, dental hygienists, radiologic technicians, etc.), paralegals, automotive technicians, first-line construction managers, heating and air conditioning repairers, and many more, offering annual salaries than can reach as much as $70,000.

Community colleges are a major pathway to these occupations. But despite the real opportunities that will emerge in the economy for these middle-skill jobs, significant obstacles must be overcome to ensure students can access them. Academic programs must be kept current to meet evolving industry needs. High school and college drop-out rates must be lowered. Students must be better prepared for the academic requirements of knowledge-based mid-level skill jobs.

State and federal programs like Career and Technical Education Information (CTEI), the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, and Partnership for College and Career Success (formerly Tech Prep) are important to overcoming these obstacles. These programs fund initiatives to develop and revise curriculum, provide professional development for faculty, and purchase equipment and software, vital to ensuring that career programs remain current and match real-world business and industry needs. Additionally, these programs also provide an important source of funding for services to students aimed at increasing graduation rates, reducing drop-out rates and enabling a seamless transition from high school to college.

This year, Illinois high schools and community colleges will receive $105.7 million in state and federal funding for career and technical education programs. This funding is critical to maintaining quality academic programs to prepare students for careers that can support a middle-class lifestyle. But despite the importance of these programs, funding for them has been on the chopping block. During budget deliberations for the current fiscal year, state funding for the CTEI program was threatened with elimination. Funding was only restored to last year's levels because the cut would have resulted in Illinois losing an additional $48.9 million in federal funds for career and technical education.

The threat for drastic cuts still looms large for 2010, as the state faces an even more dire revenue picture. As the governor and legislators begin next year's difficult budget deliberations, the Illinois Community College Trustees Association will strongly urge them to keep career and technical education as strong priorities. Given the importance of mid-skills jobs to our state's students and economy, we cannot afford cuts in these vital programs.

Barbara D. Oilschlager, President
Illinois Community College Trustees Association

Illinois Community College Trustees Association 401 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200 Springfield, IL 62701-1711 217-528-2858 (phone) 217-528-8662 (fax) ICCTA@communitycolleges.org (e-mail) http://www.communitycolleges.org