The United States has fallen from 1st place to 12th place in the share of adults ages 25-34 with postsecondary degrees.

According to a recent report released by The College Board, Canada is now the global leader in higher education among young adults, with 55.8 percent of that population holding an associate degree or beyond as of 2007, the year of the latest international ranking.

Though the United States’ ranking improves when older adults are added to the equation among all nations – he U.S. ranks 6th – the report focuses on younger college students because there is great concern that this will be the first generation in the modern era that will be less well-educated than their parents.

In response the College Board’s Commission on Access, Admissions, and Success in Higher Education and the National Confernce of State Legislatures has  produced a pratical 10-part  action agenda to increase the number of Americans who attain a postsecondary degree and empower  legislators to be an even more positive and active force.

The 10-part action agenda calls for policymakers to undertake the following recommendations which are considered investments that might raise college completion rates.

• Provide a program of voluntary preschool education, universally available to children from low-income families
• Improve middle and high school college and career counseling
• Implement the best research-based dropout prevention programs
• Align the K-12 education system with international standards and college admission expectations
• Improve teacher quality and focus on recruitment and retention
• Clarify and simplify the admission process
• Provide more need-based grant aid while simplifying and making financial aid processes more transparent
• Keep college affordable
• Dramatically increase college completion rates
• Provide postsecondary opportunities as an essential element of adult education programs.