More Latino college graduates is the key to success, says report

For the US to regain its lead as the most educated country in the world, it needs millions of more Latinos to graduate from college.

If the US wants to regain its status as the country with the most educated workforce, Latinos will need to earn 5.5 million college degrees by 2020. The Latina-led nonprofit Excelencia in Education issued a new report on Latino college completion in all 50 states, to create "a roadmap to ensure Latino student success" according to Excelencia's President Sarita Brown.  

Only 19 percent of Latinos between the ages of 25 and 64 have earned at least an associate degree, compared to 38 percent of all U.S. adults.

"It is clear we won't reach President Obama's goal of having the most college degrees by 2020 if the Latino education gap is not bridged," said Assistant U.S. Secretary of Postsecondary Education Eduardo Ochoa.

Excelencia's report uses several measures to document Latino college completion in all 50 states, as well as what is working in different states.