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After steady growth over the last three decades, the overall number of US high school graduates is leveling off.<\/p>\nAfter steady growth over the last three decades, the overall number of US high school graduates is leveling off.<\/p>\n
However, trends vary by geographic region, according to a new report<\/a> from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). States in the South and West are poised for growth, while those in the Midwest and Northeast continue to see declines.<\/p>\n In addition, the racial and ethnic makeup of students is becoming more diverse, data show.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe are moving toward a time when nearly half of all high school graduates will be students of color, with the largest increases among Hispanics and Asian\/Pacific Islanders,\u201d Joe Garcia, president of WICHE, said in a press release. \u201cMeanwhile, as our population continues to shift geographically, the states that will gain the most population will educate the highest percentage of students of color.\u201d<\/p>\n The findings are included in WICHE\u2019s most recent report \u2014 Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates<\/em>. The publication, now in its ninth edition, is updated with new information every four years.<\/p>\n Other key highlights from this year\u2019s report include:<\/p>\n Those two finding highlight the need for colleges and universities to develop new outreach strategies, Garcia told The Washington Post<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n Colleges won\u2019t be able to continue to rely on the same \u201cfeeder schools\u201d to fill their freshmen classes, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t use your same old strategies,\u201d Garcia told The Post<\/em>. \u201cYou need to change your approach.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the full report<\/a>.<\/p>\n Admitted writer\/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After steady growth over the last three decades, the overall number of US high school graduates is leveling off. However, trends vary by geographic region, according to a new report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). States in the South and West are poised for growth, while those in the Midwest and … Continue reading Report: Demographic Changes Ahead for Higher Ed<\/span> \n