Kentucky’s economic stability and workforce development are impacted by the state’s higher education gap among residents. Only 55% of people in the state currently hold a postsecondary degree or credential, despite the fact that 63% of jobs in the state will require it by 2031. Higher education can improve financial outcomes for many people, as there is a positive correlation between education level and salary. For example, 52% of people with a high school education or below live in poverty, compared to 5% of those with a Bachelor’s degree.
Unfortunately, adult college enrollment is falling throughout the nation. In Kentucky alone, there was a 16,000 decline of undergraduates between the ages of 26 and 64 from 2014 and 2024. One of the greatest obstacles is the lack of available time that adult learners have to attend regularly scheduled classes. Many have family obligations or work schedules that present time conflicts, and they often need flexible class scheduling, such as remote or night classes.
A lot of adult learners also have difficulty reentering a classroom environment, as they require remedial classes in math and English courses. To address these issues, Kentucky has started the 60×30 project, which aims to have 60% of the state’s adult population obtain a postsecondary degree or certification by 2030.
Source: Kentucky Student Success Collaborative