Tennessee was once second-to-last in college achievement in the United States. But the state has been slowly moving the needle. This year, 26.5% of Tennesseans hold a college degree, a 2.8 percent increase in five years. And Memphis has seen a 1.4 percentage point increase in college grads since kicking off its Talent Dividend efforts in 2010.
In 2013, Memphis will focus on increasing the percentage of high school seniors who complete a FAFSA. Last year, 53% of Shelby County's high school seniors completed one, beating the national average of 48%. This year, the goal is 67%.
Read more about Memphis Talent Dividend's success
here.