The latest report in our State of Higher Education in California series compares the state's performance to the rest of the nation in six key college measures. The report, Average Won't Do: Performance Trends in California Higher Education as a Foundation for Action, commissioned by the Campaign and produced by the Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) at California State University, Sacramento, analyzes ten-year trends in college preparation, affordability, participation, completion, benefits, and funding. The findings below are mostly disappointing:

• California still performs worse than most states in student preparation for college;
• California performs average compared to most states on the affordability of higher education, though tuition at the four-year public universities has skyrocketed over the past decade;
• College participation is high, although it has fallen substantially due to past budget cuts;
• California performs poorly on the number of degrees awarded compared to enrollment;
• California's young people are not getting educated to levels reached in other states;
• Significant gaps exist across racial/ethnic groups and regions, with coastal areas performing better than inland regions. 

There is some good news, including improvements on some measures of college preparation and the consistent economic benefits that both the state and individual reap for having a college degree.

But there's not enough good news, and average performance will not close the workforce gap we are facing nor will it position the state to retain its standing as a national or global economic leader. The case for change is well documented in this report and others. We can turn things around but it will take leadership, coordination, funding, and planning. It's time for California leaders to take action and create a plan to address the state's educational challenges. The time for action is now!