This looks at ARC's Plan 2040 goal of fostering a health, educated and prosperous population. The presentation displays several different indicators that reflect this goal, including educational attainment, the "education gap," as well as health and quality of life of older adults.

1. Plan 2040 Goal:
Foster a Healthy, Educated,
Well-Trained, Safe and Secure
Population
Atlanta Regional Commission
For more information contact:
mcarnathan@atlantaregional.com

2. Are Our Residents Prepared for a 21st Century
Economy?
• In order to maintain a thriving and prosperous city, Atlanta must
continue to attract high-paying, “new economy” jobs
• Growing a talented workforce from within is a key task to attract
and create good jobs
• Key indicators examined here include educational attainment,
education gap in the work force, youth academic progress,
obesity, and quality of life for adults age 65+
Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau

3. 1. Higher Education
Percentage of Adult (25+) Population with at
Least a Bachelor's Degree
37
• About 35% of adults (25
and older) in metro
Atlanta have at least a
Bachelor’s degree, which
is higher than the
national average, but
remains essentially
unchanged since 2007
35
33
31
29
27
Metro Atlanta
United States
25
2007
2008
Source: Brookings’ State of Metropolitan America, American Community Survey
2009
2010
2011
2012

4. 1. Higher Education
Percentage of Adult (25+) Population with at Least a
Bachelor's Degree, 25 Largest Metro Areas (2010)
• Compared to the 25 most populous metro areas in the nation, metro Atlanta
ranks 9th in the percent of its adult population holding at least a Bachelor’s
Degree.
Source: Brookings’ State of Metropolitan America

5. Higher Education: Percentage of Adult (25+) Population with
at Least a Bachelor's Degree, 25 Largest Metro Areas (2011)
Source: Brookings’ State of Metropolitan America

6. 2. Gap Between Required Education and
Attained Education for Jobs
Education Gap, 2012: Percentage That Education Required For The Average Job
Opening (Demand) Exceeds the Education Attained by the Average Worker (Supply)
• Education gap is measured by the percent of demand exceeding supply for
jobs. The higher the bar, the higher the education gap
• Atlanta has an education gap factor of 6.4%, ranking the 16th largest. Atlanta
ranks 71st highest in terms of the top 100 U.S. Metros
Source: Brookings Institution Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

7. Education Gap: Gap Between Required
Education and Attained Education for Jobs
•
Education gap is measured
by the percent of demand
exceeding supply for jobs.
The higher the percent, the
higher the education gap
•
Atlanta has an education gap
factor of 6.4%, ranking 71st
highest in terms of the top
100 U.S. Metros
Source: Brookings Institution Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

8. 3. High School Graduation Rates
• Metro Atlanta has increased
graduation rates from 67.9% in
2011 to 72.4% in 2013
Graduation Rate, Metro Schools
75.0%
72.4%
• The 2013 rate is slightly higher
than the state as a whole
(71.5% graduation rates).
• While ascertaining a national
graduation is difficult due to
different graduation rate
calculations, a report from
Education Week released in
2013 pegs the national
graduation rate at 75% for
2010.
70.0%
70.0%
67.9%
65.0%
60.0%
55.0%
50.0%
2011
Source: Georgia Office of Student Achievement, Georgia Family Connection Partnership
2012
2013

9. How Metro Residents Perceive Public Education:
Rate Public Education in Your District & in Metro Area as a
Whole
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
•
Last year, ARC conducted a survey of 2,100 residents in the 10-county Atlanta region. We asked
them to rate public education in their local district as well as the metro area as a whole.
•
While local districts got higher marks, 57 percent of respondents rated metro area public
schools as fair or poor, showing that the perception of public education in the region is poor.
Source: Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey, 2013

10. 4. Early Childhood Education
Percent of Children of Low Income
Families Enrolled in the Georgia Pre-K
Program
55.0%
50.0%
• A $1 investment in pre-K
and other early childhood
programs can yield up to $8
in future economic
advantage, according to
one prominent study
• Between 2004 and 2012, a
higher percentage of lowincome families have
enrolled in a Georgia pre-K
program, which has gained
national attention
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Source: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Georgia KIDS COUNT Data Center

11. 4. Early Childhood Education
Percent of 3-4 Year Olds Enrolled in School, 2011
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
• Atlanta ranks 13th out of the largest 25 U.S. Metros regarding percentage of
three- and four-year olds enrolled in a nursery or pre-school program
Source: American Community Survey, 2011

12. 5. Obesity
• Obesity is considered one
of the best indicators for
health. Health
consciousness is
permeating aspects of
society more than ever
before
• In metro Atlanta, obesity
rates have risen from
20.9% in 2002 to 25% in
2011
Metro Atlanta: Percent of Population
Obese, 2002-2011
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002-2011

13. 5. Obesity
Change in Obesity Rate since 2002
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
• Despite the increasing obesity rate, Atlanta ranks relatively well in terms of
change over time. Metro Atlanta ranks 14th lowest among the top 60 metros
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002-2011

14. 6. Quality of Life for Older Adults Age 65+
• Although people are living
longer and healthier these
days, older adults are still
among the most
vulnerable populations
• In part because we are
living and working longer,
the percentage of seniors
who are considered to be
in poverty declined over
the past decade
Percent of Older Adults (65+) in Poverty,
2000 & 2012
18.00%
Seniors
All Population
16.00%
14.00%
12.00%
10.00%
8.00%
6.00%
4.00%
2.00%
0.00%
2000
2012
Metro Atlanta
2000
2012
United States
• Between 2000 and 2012, the overall poverty rate increased 7.1% in metro
Atlanta, but the senior poverty rate actually declined from 10.2% in 2000 to 9.9%
in 2012
Source: 2012 American Community Survey, 2000 U.S. Census

15. Summary
•
Metro Atlanta’s percentage of population with at least a Bachelor’s Degree has
remained constant around 35% between 2007-2011, with a ranking of 9th out of the
top 25 metros
•
The education gap in metro Atlanta is 6.4% larger than the national average, ranking
in the top one-third of metros with large education gaps
•
High school graduation rates have slightly improved from 2011 to 2012. However,
metro Atlanta is still 9% higher than the nation in terms of teens age 16-19 not
enrolled in school or without a diploma
•
Early childhood education numbers are encouraging in Atlanta, with a large increase
in low-income families enrolling children age 3-4 years old in programs
•
Atlanta’s obesity rates have increased, but not as drastically as two-thirds of the top
U.S. MSAs
•
Poverty rates for adults over age 65 have decreased in Atlanta between 2000 and
2012; a very positive metric