Top Takeaways
- The region’s college-going rate is low, and only 31% of students who attend community college transfer to a university, the lowest rate in the state.
- Educators note a growing pessimism about the value of a college degree, especially since many jobs don’t require one.
- Dual enrollment and other partnerships between the K-12 and higher education systems show promise in increasing the college-going rate.
The Inland Empire is a young, diverse and fast-growing region in California — and it’s also the California region with the lowest incomes.
It is a region of 4.6 million people that local and state leaders are targeting for economic growth. It’s also young enough that leaders believe that college education can play a dramatic role in shaping the region’s — as well as the state’s — future.
“This is a region of consequence,” said Ashish Vaidya, president and chief executive of Growing Inland Achievement. He heads the regional K-16 collaborative working to link the TK-12 system with higher education…