Louisiana Believes posted an article expanding on the achievements of the Class of 2018. The number of Louisiana graduates seeking college enrollment has climbed to an all-time high.

The Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Regents have partnered up to announce that over 25,000 high school graduates (the Class of 2018) in the public school system were enrolled into higher education right after their graduation. This is over 4,000 more than the Class of 2012, that is an increase of 23 percent.

Not only are students pursuing a higher education, they are also using their resources like TOPS to get financial help. TOPS stands for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students. It is a “program of state scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend either one of the Louisiana Public Colleges and Universities, schools that are a part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System or institutions that are a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.”

Over half of this growth is due to the increasing amount of African-American students furthering their education after high school and seeking college enrollment. More than 2,500 more African-American students enrolled in some form of higher education than the students that graduated in 2012. Commissioner of Higher Education,  Kim Hunter Reed made a statement,  “We are delighted to applaud this good news because we know what it means for our students. In today’s rapidly changing economy a high school diploma is no longer enough.”

The statewide graduation results came in for the Class of 2018, showing that Louisiana achieved its highest cohort in its history. Not only did it show that more students were furthering their education, it also showed that the rate for students who errands “early-college credit” also rose, Even just the amount of students graduating increased. Here are other highlights of the Class of 2018:

• The amount of students seeking college enrollment in an out-of-state school has slightly risen. 88 percent for instate and 12 percent for out-of-state. In 2017, it was 89 percent in state and 11 percent out-of-state.
• The amount of students who enrolled in a two year program vs a four year program stayed the same. For the Class of 2018, 71 percent were enrolled in four year colleges and 29 percent were enrolled in two year programs.
• Over twenty school systems beat the record. The top three school systems were St. James, Zachary, and West Feliciana parishes.

Here is a list of things Louisiana is doing to try and raise the college enrollment:

• Offering students dual enrollment, helping them obtain college credits while taking courses in high school.
• Diversified and expanded Jump Start; a program helping students adjust to the workplace and career courses.
• It is required for students to choose if they want to complete the financial aid forms that would help fund furthering their education.
• The state has an accountability system that measures schools to see if they equip students for furthering their education.
• Every 11th grade student has access to the ACT. No matter their background or even their financial status.

For more education related information, click here.