Claire Fiddian-Green: To get students to college, we need all-hands approach

What should Indiana do to increase the number of Hoosier students who go to college?

Indiana does not have enough adults with college degrees, resulting in jobs left unfilled due to a skills mismatch. Driven by advances in artificial intelligence and automation, jobs and the economy are rapidly evolving, and employers need a workforce that has the necessary education to adapt to these changes.

At the same time, many Hoosiers do not think college is affordable or worth the cost, according to a recent study by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Because these beliefs are strikingly at odds with labor-market realities, our economy is at serious risk unless we change Indiana’s college-going culture and boost educational attainment rates.

Our state’s education outcomes are not great. Indiana ranks 43rd nationally when it comes to post-secondary attainment, with just 28.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is deeply concerning, given that 53% of “good jobs” in Indiana—those that pay at least $44,900 annually and provide health care benefits—are held by people with bachelor’s and graduate degrees. What’s more, labor-market experts predict the need for a workforce with education after high school will only accelerate.

Unfortunately, Indiana’s college enrollment rates have declined sharply, from 65% for high school graduates from the class of 2015 to 53% for the class of 2020. This means our state will produce even fewer college graduates in the coming years and exacerbate our economy’s skills mismatch. The good news is, Indiana’s education leaders are working strategically to increase college enrollment rates. During the 2023 legislative session, for example, the Indiana General Assembly enacted two laws designed to reduce barriers to affordability. First, income-eligible students will now be automatically enrolled in the 21st Century Scholars program, enabling them to qualify for free tuition at Indiana’s public colleges and universities.

Second, all high school seniors will be required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (with an opt-out provision), starting with the class of 2024. These requirements will help more Hoosier students qualify for financial aid and scholarships; however, on their own, they’re unlikely to significantly improve college enrollment rates. Additional action steps are needed.

First, using remaining federal COVID-relief dollars and new state appropriations, we must act swiftly to address K-12 learning loss brought about by the pandemic. Unless students are academically prepared, financial aid won’t help them successfully enroll in college. According to recent studies, the most effective intervention to address both learning loss and pre-pandemic learning gaps is high-dosage tutoring. This is defined as daily instruction provided by well-trained tutors using grade-level curricula.

Second, we need to offer alternative pathways to college through high-quality work-based learning experiences like modern youth apprenticeships. These paid experiences start in high school and enable students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and college credit. Upon completing a modern apprenticeship, students can elect to attend college part time while working or to apply for need-based financial aid and enroll full time.

Finally, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to changing Indiana’s college-going culture.Everyone can transmit the message that a college degree is both worth it and affordable. We also must make it easier to connect with the array of existing resources offered by the state that can help students access college.

Low educational attainment levels are a significant threat to the state’s economic vitality. We must act with urgency to change Indiana’s college-going culture and help get more Hoosier students to and through college.•

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Fiddian-Green is president and CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, whose mission is to advance the vitality of Indianapolis and the well-being of its people. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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