educational attainment

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Dan Hurley September 19, 2024

I recently wrote about Michigan’s strong labor market forecast for workers with four-year degrees and above, citing several data sources that underscore the value of a bachelor’s degree in the years ahead. A prominent, frequently cited source that is Michigan-specific is the…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Dan Hurley September 12, 2024

Talent is the currency of today’s economy, enabling states to attract and retain companies and the high-knowledge, high-income workers they employ. And talent development, especially as measured by the completion of postsecondary degrees and credentials, will become increasingly…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Dan Hurley May 25, 2021

The leaders of Michigan’s 15 public universities and the team here at MASU have long contended that there are real consequences for the state’s disinvestment in higher education over the past twenty years, which has seen a more than 40% reduction in state funding per student. As…

In Educational Attainment, by Dan Hurley October 13, 2020

After more than a year of deliberations on how best to increase the proportion of Michigan residents who possess a postsecondary degree or certificate, an action plan has come together. As originally announced last fall, a diverse state work group has participated in a…

In Educational Attainment, by Dan Hurley December 4, 2019

With one of the highest forecasted declines in the number of high school graduates in the decade ahead among all states, Michigan needs to do all it can to encourage more graduating high school students to enroll in some form of postsecondary education. The economic prospects of…

In Educational Attainment, by Dan Hurley September 19, 2019

Michigan is one of seven states selected to participate in an “Attainment Academy” aimed at crafting a statewide strategic plan for increasing the postsecondary education levels of the state’s residents. The effort is being coordinated by the State Higher Education Executive…

In Economic Development, by Dan Hurley February 21, 2019

An earlier version of this commentary originally appeared in Bridge Magazine The world of work has changed over the last 20 years. It’s vital that Michigan change with it. That means placing a priority on investing in education that can provide the talent needed to attract…

In Educational Attainment, by Dan Hurley July 20, 2018

Boosting the proportion of Michigan residents who obtain a college degree or other postsecondary credential is vital to the state’s future economic competitiveness, both domestically and globally. Ultimately, it is talent, not tax policy, geography, or demographics, that is…

In Higher Ed Finance, by Mia Murphy May 17, 2018

The leaders of Michigan’s 15 public universities, joined by the staff of the Michigan Association of State Universities, have long touted the personal return on investment a student earns with a four-year college degree. We’ve also long talked about the benefits that accrue to…

In Talent, by Dan Hurley September 21, 2017

A recently released report produced by Michigan’s Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) provides insight on the extent to which foreign talent is contributing to Michigan’s economy. At a time of low unemployment, and in light of the steep forthcoming drop in high…

In Educational Attainment, by Dan Hurley June 14, 2017

A report recently provided to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has added fuel to the narrative that talent will be the primary factor in the state’s ability to survive and thrive economically in the years ahead. The report, Building Michigan’s 21st Century Economy,…

In Educational Attainment, May 1, 2017

With a goal of rising incomes for all Michigan households and a broadening of the state’s middle class, Michigan Future, Inc. has presented a state policy agenda that is uniquely forward-thinking in its approach. The think tank’s policy treatise is reinforced by the…

In Educational Attainment, January 6, 2017

Michigan’s economy is continuing to grow, enabling it to compete vigorously on the national and global stage. That’s the good news. The bad news? The state’s most important economic input—maintaining and growing a talented workforce—will be increasingly challenged by a declining…

In Educational Attainment, December 2, 2016

Last month, the State of Michigan’s Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives (LMISI) updated one of their signature publications: Michigan’s Hot 50 – Tomorrow’s High-Demand High-Wage Careers. Informed by demographic and market data, LMISI…

In Higher Ed Finance, October 21, 2016

There are few states that would be described as being flush with cash. State officials (justifiably) want to know the return on the investment they’re making with public revenues. And for years, state universities have argued in turn that investment in public higher education…