Noël Harmon, National Director of the Talent Dividend, writes for the Huffington Post about how and why educational attainment and the vitality of our country's cities are so intimately connected:
"Educational attainment and the growth of cities directly connect because 58 percent of any city's success, when measured by per capita income, can be explained by the percentage of the adult population with a college degree. Even small improvements in educational attainment can yield big dividends for metropolitan areas. Research released by CEOs for Cities found that if 51 of the largest metropolitan areas each increased their college attainment rates by just one percentage point, it would be worth $124 billion in additional personal income for the nation.
The Brookings study highlights the probability that closing the educational gap in our cities will lead to lower unemployment and more job creation, and is essential to revitalizing our economy. The report notes that educational attainment makes workers more employable, creates demand for complementary less educated workers, and facilitates entrepreneurship. In short, a rising tide lifts all boats."
Read the full story
here.