Lumina Foundation has launched a new State Attainment Collaborative aimed at helping states update or establish goals to ensure more people complete education or training programs that lead to good jobs and lifelong learning. The initiative supports Lumina’s long-term Goal 2040, which envisions that by 2040, three-fourths of U.S. adults in the labor force will hold college degrees or other valuable credentials tied to economic prosperity.
The collaboration brings together leaders from 13 states — Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia — to align educational attainment strategies with local workforce and economic needs. Each state will determine what qualifies as a “credential of value” and revise its goals accordingly.
“Setting clear goals for increasing degrees and workforce credentials demonstrates a state’s commitment to expanding opportunity and strengthening its economy,” said Michelle Asha Cooper, Lumina’s vice president for public policy. “Through formal collaboration, states can refine goals, share lessons, and ensure they center on value for individuals, communities, and employers.”
Lumina first established a national attainment goal in 2008, setting a target for 60% of working-age adults to hold a degree or credential by 2025. Since then, 49 states have adopted their own goals, helping to shift national focus from access to completion. As of 2023, 55% of working-age adults hold a degree or short-term credential — a 16-point increase since 2008. Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, and Utah, have already surpassed the 60% benchmark.
The new collaborative comes at a pivotal time. Over 20 states have attainment goals expiring this year, and higher education continues to face scrutiny over affordability, workforce alignment, and return on investment. “Leaders are asking what comes next,” said Patrick Crane, Lumina’s strategy director for state policy. “The collaborative will give states a space to highlight progress and reckon with the challenges ahead.”
By establishing this partnership, Lumina aims to help states recommit to making postsecondary learning more meaningful — ensuring education beyond high school continues to drive opportunity, innovation, and national economic growth.
