Education
Tennessee’s Post-Pandemic Workforce: Implications for the Value of Going to College
In the decade since the Drive to 55 was initiated, much has changed. According to the American Community Survey, 58% of Tennesseans 25 and older had at least some college-level education in 2019, up from 53% in 2010. However, as the impacts of COVID-19 reverberate throughout our economy, the current environment is more favorable for workers without college than it has been for a generation or more. A tight labor market, high college costs alongside high rates of student loan default, and growth in job opportunities for workers without college have led many to question if college is still worth the cost. What is the average long-term payoff from enrolling in college?
See Dr. Celeste Carruthers’ Presentation for SCORE
The College Pipeline In East Tennessee: Where We Are, Where We’re Going, and Policy Options
The COVID-19 pandemic may have fundamentally altered the trajectory of college-going, retention, and completion rates for students nationwide and the Drive to 55 in Tennessee. During a forum in May 2022, we reviewed the data on key student metrics for East Tennessee, examined the evidence on the causes of shifting student behavior, and evaluated possible policy options with key stakeholders.
The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy and The Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research co-sponsored this event in collaboration with Tennessee Achieves.
Education Policy Research
The Boyd Center produces research on various facets of education policy on both the revenue and expenditure sides of the budget. In cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Education, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and other state agencies and funded by a grant under the federal Race to the Top program, we also developed the P20 Connect Tennessee Longitudinal Data System on education.
Tennessee Higher Education Graduates
How much does Tennessee’s economy benefit from the Tennessee higher education graduates working in the state? The Boyd Center, under an agreement with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and with the cooperation of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, has undertaken research to answer this and other related questions.
Economic Benefits of Postsecondary Credentials: Incremental Earnings and Revenues Upon Drive to 55 Achievement
Education Crossroads
Education Crossroads is a unique report that looks at economic prosperity and the positive impact education has on family, society and quality of life. The collaborative report looks at how individuals have the power to influence the future through investing in education as students, individuals, parents and community members. For more information or to request a hard copy of the book, please call (865) 974-6086.
The Basic Education Program 2.0
The Basic Education Program 2.0 (BEP) outlines the funding formula used to allocate state education dollars to Tennessee’s k-12 schools. This formula compares a locality’s average tax rate to its tax use to calculate a percentage reflecting its ability to generate revenue from its own base to cover educational resource needs.