Plant the seeds early for U.S. college success

IN February, President Obama set a goal of leading the world in college-completion rates by 2020. Meeting this goal will be critical to the economic security of individual students, our communities, the great state of Washington, and the nation.

According to federal data, more than 67 percent of new jobs and 88 percent of new high-growth and high-wage jobs will likely go to workers with at least some education after high school. But before the nation can boost its college-graduation rates, it has a much larger problem to tackle — far too many students do not earn a high-school diploma.

As CEO of the College Success Foundation (CSF) and former chairman of the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, I know the importance of a good education, particularly in today's economy. Over the past 10 years, CSF has provided nearly 6,000 college scholarships totaling more than $100 million to high-achieving students from low-income families in Washington state.

However, judging by the large number of students who fail to graduate from high school, it will take partnerships within Washington and with the federal government to help students reach their goals and grow the economy. The Alliance for Excellent Education has reported that the 1.2 million dropouts from the Class of 2009 will cost the nation more than $335 billion in additional income over the course of their working lifetimes. Washington state's portion of that total is approximately $8.8 billion.

A main factor determining students' success in high school is the strength of their reading and comprehension skills. Unfortunately, results from the only national test of reading — the National Assessment of Educational Progress — tell us that nearly one in four entering ninth-graders in Washington state reads several years below grade level.

Literacy is also critical to success in college and in the workplace. Sadly, large numbers of college freshmen lack the reading and comprehension skills they need to succeed. According to the latest ACT results — a college admissions test similar to the SAT — only two-thirds of 2009 high-school graduates were academically prepared to earn a "C" or better in a first-year college English course.

Even worse, nearly half of these graduates lacked the necessary reading skills to succeed in social-science courses such as economics and history. As a result, these students will need remedial classes — making them more likely to drop out before earning a degree.

Washington's senior U.S. Sen. Patty Murray recognizes the importance of a college- and career-ready education for our students, our state and the nation. From her position on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray has been a leader in education, particularly when it comes to improving literacy rates among America's middle- and high-school students and improving high schools overall.

She has long supported legislation to increase the achievement of high-school students and boost graduation rates by focusing on the nation's lowest-performing high schools.

Just last month she introduced legislation that would provide federal support to states, school districts and schools to develop comprehensive literacy programs that serve students' needs from birth through high school.

As CSF celebrates its 10th year of providing college scholarships to high-achieving students from low-income families who could not otherwise afford college, we are happy to have such a strong partner. Together, we are working to ensure that all Washington students receive the education they need to be productive citizens.