Group pushes for city's support to fight 'education crisis'

There is a growing crisis in America that is weakening the nation's workforce, according to an Arizona policy group, and only more investment in education will solve it.

"In this time when other countries are spending tremendous amounts of money on education, America is surrendering its education," said Harry Hengl, a co-chair of the Coalitions for Solutions through Higher Education.

Hengl and Bob McLendon of the Arizona Board of Regents brought this message to the Yuma City Council Tuesday during its work session.

The coalition is seeking Yuma's support in a statewide effort to promote awareness about the role of higher education in economic prosperity.

According to coalition data, Arizona ranks 43rd out of 50 states in the percentage of high school graduates who go to college and 39th out of 50 in the percentage of the younger population with a college degree.

Those numbers are alarming, McLendon said, at a time when the demand for medical, engineering and other skilled professionals is increasing in the nation.

But the problem, according to the coalition, goes beyond Arizona. Its data states that the United States ranks behind other industrialized nations in high school graduation rates, college completion, and mathematics and science training.

"If we do nothing, we continue to slide toward mediocrity or worse," McLendon said.

The council took no action on the coalition's informational presentation. But Hengl and McLendon did ask it to consider backing a push to fund university capital improvement projects at the state level.

The $1.4 billion Stimulus Plan for Economic and Educational Development (SPEED) would fund the construction of new buildings for science and medical study at the three state universities. Northern Arizona University in Yuma could potentially benefit as well.

Hengl said the universities themselves would handle the bulk of the cost until 2010, after the state has had a chance to recover from a deficit that is now estimated at almost $2 billion.

"We're behind, we're playing catch-up and we need to do something about it," McLendon said.

Though the council took no action on this plan there was general approval for the coalition's work.

"The problems we have in hiring professionals, not only in the public sector but private businesses, is a serious issue," said Mayor Larry Nelson.