Indiana's college-going rate continues decline
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The share of Hoosier students who chose to go to college after graduating high school hit a new low in 2023.
Why it matters: Indiana's college-going rate has been declining for a decade, despite efforts to reverse the trend.
- The state previously set a goal to increase the share of adults with higher education to 60% by this year but was only at 53% by the end of 2024.
What they're saying: "We know the need for more individuals with some form of training and education beyond high school is only going to increase," Chris Lowery, Indiana's higher education commissioner, said during a meeting last week.
Driving the news: The Indiana Commission for Higher Education posted the 2023 college-going rate report earlier this month showing 52% of students who graduated from an Indiana high school in 2023 went on to some kind of post-secondary education.
- The rate's been declining since 2012, when it was 66%.
State of play: During last week's meeting, Lowery said more recent data indicates the trend may be starting to turn around.
- The Commission adopted new strategies in spring 2023, which would not have had much impact on that year's graduating class.
- He said initiatives like automatically enrolling students in the 21st Century Scholars program, increasing the number of high schools offering core general education college classes and requiring high school seniors to complete the FAFSA should start to pay dividends.
- "We're starting to bend the curve," he said, "but a lot of work remains."
What we're watching: Lowery, who has been in the role since 2022, announced Tuesday that he would step down in October. The commission will choose his successor.