Central Texas lags behind in education Posted On: Wednesday, Sep. 23 2009 02:17 AM From staff reports

WACO – Nearly one-fourth of Waco adults age 25 or older do not have a high school diploma, lagging behind state and national levels as well as McLennan and Bell counties and the city of Killeen, according to a Baylor University analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data.

The information from the 2008 American Community Survey is "another call to action" for community leaders, said Dr. Larry Lyon, director of Baylor's Center for Community Research and Development, which conducted the analysis.

He is aiding in a community effort, led by Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy, to address education problems.

Nationally, more than 15 percent of people age 25 and older did not have diplomas. More than 20 percent in Texas did not.

Another deficit in Central Texas: It trails the national average of college graduates and those with graduate or professional degrees, said Dr. Carson Mencken, a Baylor sociology professor and researcher.

The data is particularly troubling because Waco is reasonably large with well-developed urban areas and several colleges and universities, said Dr. Robyn Driskell, a community specialist with the center.

"Continued progress and development hinge increasingly on a quality, educated work force," she said. "We need to redouble our efforts to upgrade education attainment locally."

On a positive note, Central Texas fared better than the state or nation in the 25-and-older category as far as attending some college or earning an associate's degree.

In Bell County, 28.4 percent of people aged 25 or older have some college, whereas nationally, that figure is 21.3 percent. In Killeen specifically, the difference is greater at 33.3 percent.

Nationally, 7.5 percent holds an associate degree; in Killeen that figure is 11.1 percent. In Bell County, 10.7 percent hold the two-year degree.

Bell County Judge Jon H. Burrows attributes the difference to three factors.

The youth of Bell County's population, who more often find it necessary to get schooling beyond a high school diploma, are one factor.

Another is the existence of Fort Hood, he said. "The military makes time and funds available. … They have incentives for people to finish education," Burrows said.

The last factor he sees is the abundance of governmental and medical jobs, as well as learning institutions, in the area that allow young people to get jobs out of high school while they continue their education.

"While this does not surprise me, it is good to hear," Burrows said.

Center researchers will continue to delve into new information from the 2008 American Community Survey, said Dr. Charles Tolbert, chair of Baylor's Department of Sociology and research scientist.

"For more populated places, we no longer have to wait 10 years for a decennial census to get a local reading on socioeconomic factors such as poverty, income and education," he said. The center now receives annual updates on Bell and McLennan counties and the cities of Killeen and Waco.

The center, established in 1979, aids organizations, businesses, agencies and governments by providing community data to aid in decision-making. For more information, call (254) 710-3811.