Abstract: Fourteenth place. That's where the United States ranked in the proportion of 25to 34-year-olds who achieved postsecondary degrees, according to a 2012 report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unless the U.S. increases the share of the population that has completed a college degree, the country will lack the educational skills and training required to meet the workforce demands of a global economy. Sixty-three percent of job researchers predict, will require education beyond high school in 2018. For the U.S. to be competitive on a global scale, it must devote more effort to closing the considerable gaps in degree attainment that persist across demographic groups. The groups least likely to earn a degree are students from lower-income families, blacks, Hispanics, and those whose parents have not attended college. Disciplines Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Education Policy | Race and Ethnicity This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/297 Home > Publications & Products > CURRENTS > CURRENTS Archive > 2014 > November/December 2014 > Talking Points: State of Attainment Talking Points: State of Attainment Three ways that states can help more students access higher levels of education By Laura W. Perna , Joni E. Finney