A great school stat, but more must be done

There has been nearly a 71 percent increase in the number of degrees awarded by Kentucky's public colleges and universities since 2000, according to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. That translates to nearly 44,000 degrees and credentials awarded to the 2006-2007 graduating class.

Ponder that for a moment. It's a pretty astounding number.

But it's not enough. The council has the ambitious goal of doubling the number of Kentucky residents with a bachelor's degree.

How humbling to learn that this is what it will take for Kentucky to be at national averages for standard of living. The council's "Double the Numbers" plan points out that it could take 154 years for Kentucky to reach the national average in per capita income unless these already impressive trends accelerate.

The rationale couldn't be clearer. On average, people with post-secondary degrees make more money, are more involved in volunteerism, are more likely to vote, generally have a higher quality of life and are less likely to need taxpayer-funded assistance. States with more college grads have stronger, more diverse economies.

Neither of my parents had a college degree -- my dad was a ninth-grade dropout -- but neither needed a degree to sense the truth of that decades ago. There was never a doubt in our house that I would continue formal education after high school. For that I always will be grateful.