by Mike Hasten, Shreveport Times
If you’re age 25 to 64 living in Louisiana and have at least an associate degree, you’re among a fairly rare group. A Lumina Foundation study utilizing U.S. Census data found that in 2011, only 27.9 percent of Louisianans in that age bracket – considered “working age adults” – have at least a two-year degree. The Census data shows it’s getting worse. In 2010, 28.2 percent of adults had some type of degree and in 2009, it was 28.1 percent. Nationally, the average is 38.7 percent of adults have degrees. Louisiana ranks 49th nationally, one-tenth of a percentage point ahead of West Virginia, where 27.8 percent of its population has degrees. But that state is on the rise with only 26.1 percent of its population having degrees a year ago. The University of Louisiana System this summer will kick off an online degree program it hopes will improve the state’s education level while making it easier for working men and women to earn degrees. The diploma would be a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership.
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