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April 29, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMPACT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION UNVEILS COLLEGE FOR ME PROGRAM
New Initiative Will Strive to Ensure College for all All Maine Residents
AUGUSTA - Gov. John E. Baldacci joined members of the Compact for Higher Education today in unveiling its blueprint for ensuring that all Maine residents have improved access to a college education.
The Compact, a joint venture of the Maine Development Foundation, the Maine Community Foundation, and leaders from the education , government and business communities, has spent the past year drafting the College for ME Action Plan, which seeks to overcome many of the obstacles to obtaining a college degree.
The Action Plan released today focuses on several areas, including preparation, affordability, and retention, with the eventual goal of creating 40,000 new college graduates during the next 15 years.
"Our goal is to raise Maine's high school to college rate from 55 to 70% by the end of this decade, and to continue that progress beyond. This will take Maine from the middle of the pack to among the best in the nation in college attainment," said Gov. John E. Baldacci. "In Maine, we have built schools and colleges with bricks and mortar, and now we'll construct the economy of tomorrow with diplomas and mortar boards."
While Maine has one of the leading high school graduation rates in the country, only about half the students go on to college; fewer still graduate with a degree. In March 2003, the Governor challenged the Compact to find solutions to the problems that keep Maine residents from completing college.
With only about 37% of Maine's working-age adults having college degrees, the result has been fewer companies expanding in the state; a loss of skilled, high-paying jobs; an out-migration of young people; lower per-capita income, and decreased civic involvement, according to the Compact's report, titled "Greater Expectations."
The goal of the Compact for Higher Education is to create 40,000 new college-degree holders in Maine during the next 15 years, which will bring the state up to the projected New England average of 45%.
Compact Chairman Joe Boulos also noted that a Maine Department of Labor report on job prospects through 2010 illustrated the need for post-secondary education. Of the fastest-growing jobs in Maine, including those in health care, computer sciences, and education, most require a college degree.
In addition, data shows that over the course of a work life, those with a bachelor's degree earn about $800,000 more than those with just a high school diploma.
"When I was growing up, a high school diploma was the basic requirement for the workforce, but the path to economic success today means a college degree of some sort," Boulos said. "College for Maine is a bold new way of thinking about education in the state, and the only way our children will be able to compete in a global marketplace."
Under the Compact's covenant with Maine residents, the College for ME program will occur during a five-part Action Plan.
1) Create the Maine's Promise Scholarship Program to eliminate all unmet need and student loans for residents from low-income households who go to college in Maine. The scholarship program will allow students to fill any funding gaps left by other forms of financial aid, such as work-study and federal grants.
2) Create the Maine Early College Initiative to enable every Maine high school student to experience college life in a variety of arenas, ranging from advanced-placement classes to single courses at a local community college, which will allow many students to graduate from high school with college credits.
3) Introduce the Maine College Transition program to help adults earn degrees by providing preparatory support, including counseling and mentoring, to help them successfully complete a college degree.
4) Establish the College for ME Employer Initiative to help employers support the education of their workforce. Under the initiative, the state will provide employers with technical assistance, training, and statewide recognition. The Compact also will advocate for a state tax credit to reimburse employers for 50% of what they invest to help workers pursue college degree programs.
5) Launch a comprehensive College for ME campaign to shift public perceptions of higher education, and to ensure that the importance of a college degree is seen as a key tool to economic development and raising Maine's education levels.
Providing Maine residents with a college degree continues the groundbreaking investments the state has made in securing a future for its residents, according to Maine Education Commissioner Susan Gendron.
"This issue is no longer academic, and a college degree needs to be moved from the "Wish List" to the "To Do" list for Maine's students," Gendron said.
Additional information can be found at www.collegeforme.com
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Contacts:
Governor's Office: Lee Umphrey 287-2531
Compact for Higher Education: Henry Bourgeois 622-6345
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