Way back in 2011, policymakers in Oregon set an ambitious goal.

By 2025, 80 percent of the state’s 25- to 34-year-old residents would have some kind of college credentials.

The deadline is next year, and the state won’t come close.

Instead, college-going rates have been on the decline in Oregon for the last decade, particularly among certain groups of high school students, including boys from rural Oregon and students of color. The decline outpaces national averages.

College enrollment matters for more than just students. To flourish in the future, the state’s economy needs highly-skilled workers who can contribute to the tax base. And as communities of color fall further behind in higher education attainment, it hurts the state’s efforts to improve equitable outcomes for all its residents.

Reporter Sami Edge set out to understand the decline. Her work is spotlighted in a seven-part series that continues this week in The Oregonian/OregonLive as students around the state graduate from high school.

In this episode of Beat Check, we’ll talk about:

— The skyrocketing costs of college tuition in Oregon.

— How community colleges do — and don’t — appeal to high school seniors.

— The ins and outs of Oregon’s existing tuition grant programs.

— How one tiny rural school in Klamath County sets the standard for high schools around the state.

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