As YOUR Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, I am on a mission to improve the state of higher education in Louisiana. It is my goal to adequately prepare Louisiana students for college, get them enrolled, and keep them there! And then keep them in the state of Louisiana as a contributing member to the Louisiana economy. I want to improve enrollment and retention rates of students, as they are a driving force behind the Louisiana economy.
Improving Higher Education in Louisiana
Improving the state of higher education in Louisiana does not have a simple, textbook answer. But one thing is certain, a child’s progression towards a college degree starts long before they ever set foot on a college campus.
Importance Statewide
Many fail to realize the economic power holding a college degree may have. Someone with a Bachelor’s Degree earns up to $25,000 more per year on average than someone with just a high school diploma (State Legislatures. June 2011. Bautsch. Page 24). A degree translates into more revenue flowing statewide in numerous ways:
- Average career is 40 years, so that extra $25,000 per year translates into $1 million more in career earnings
- Higher income translates into higher tax revenue for the state.
- College graduates generally pay more in income and sales taxes, while depending less on social service programs like Medicaid or federal assistance.
- College graduates are more likely to be employed.
The big issue facing the state of Louisiana is that at least two out of every five college students do not graduate – making risky investments for state programs such as TOPS. Weak academic preparation in K-12 is the fourth leading cause to college dropout (Bautsch).
The number of nationwide, jobs requiring some form of training or education beyond high school will continue to increase. By 2018, it is estimated that close to 33 percent of jobs will require at least a Bachelor’s Degree and 29 percent will require at least a certificate or associate degree (State Legislatures. June 2011. Colvin & Hinton. Page 12). With that being said, strengthening higher education will have a direct and positive correlation to a state’s economic, social, and cultural health.
People of Color being left behind
Tight budgets have handcuffed lawmakers into considering options that could change the face of public universities forever. How does higher education adjust so it can still flourish while facing massive budget constraints? – Tuition. Fundamental changes in the way the state operates and finance public universities must change if it will continue to offer high quality education to all students regardless of the socioeconomic backgrounds or ethnicity. The move to fund universities based on academic performance is starting to take hold with the passing of legislation such as the LA Grad Act and LA Grad Act 2.0. These pieces of legislation help the state set goals for colleges. They are performance contracts between the state and schools to detail what the state will provide, and what performance level they expect out of the university to continue to fund at that level. This trend is slowly draining the ‘public’ out of public education. State universities are beginning to run like private enterprises, and charging high tuition makes attaining a quality education available to only a certain sector of the population. This leads to market driven policies which increase economic and social stratification among students, a blow to the policy objective of equal educational opportunity for all (State Legislatures. June 2011. Bell. Page 21).
My platform for Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 has a three prong approach:
- Pre-K: High quality pre-school programs have long lasting effects by improving student outcomes well into adulthood. Research shows much improved educational skills and higher test scores. Evaluation of LA 4 shows student advancement within ONE year in language, literacy, and math skills when compared to peers not enrolled in a Pre-K program (Center for Child Development. “LA4 Longitudinal Report” La Department of Education. 2007). With weak academic preparation being the No. 3 reason college students fail to return for their sophomore year, the need of a strong foundation of early childhood development is one way to improve higher education success. As part of my platform, I will strive to inform citizens of the importance of early childhood development and how it affects their child and Louisiana’s future.
- Improving Academic Success in K-12: The need for sustained support throughout a child’s K-12 years is imperative to their future higher educational institutional success. Failure to attain a Bachelor’s Degree could lead in the increase of jobless claims throughout the state as the percentage of jobs requiring at least a BA will continue to increase. With education levels and poverty rates running hand-in-hand. I will continue to convey the importance of improving literacy levels in Louisiana poor communities to ensure our students are prepared for higher education. My platform will focus on finding ways to ensure our African-American students are prepared for college through mentoring programs or college-prep courses; I will strive to improve educational outcomes for students.
- Political Participation: Finally, too many constituents are unaware of the laws made at the state Capitol and how they can affect educational programs. As part of my platform, I would like to convey the need of voter participation in the African American community and initiate a voter registration drive.
Please join me on my journey to the crown by making a small donation to get me to the national competition on August 13, 2012. The countdown is on and I cannot do it without your support. I am passionate about my approach to my platform, and believe education is the KEY!
Click HERE to donate! Thank you!
