Young people who graduate from high school are faced with difficult choices about what to do next. For many people, the cost of college is too high. But this issue is just one of many that threaten the future of the Union.
Higher education costs money. University enrollment numbers are declining. Kindergarten classes are shrinking. Our population is aging. Too many Pennsylvania high school graduates go on to college outside the state. And even many who stay in Pennsylvania for college take their talents to other states after earning their degrees.
As a result, Pennsylvania's projected population growth is modest. The Pennsylvania Rural Center estimates that the state's population will grow by only 1.6% by 2050, while the state's overall population growth rate is 20%.
If Pennsylvania cannot reverse these trends, the state will face even greater challenges in the future: widening budget deficits, higher taxes, and increased costs to care for an aging population. This would result in less representation in Congress, less federal funding returning to Pennsylvania, and fewer career opportunities for those who remain in the state.
It's a downward spiral that threatens our future prosperity. Rethinking how we approach postsecondary education and vocational training is the key to reversing these trends and charting a brighter path forward.
That's why we recently announced the Grow PA Postsecondary and Career Readiness Reform Plan. This is to ensure that Pennsylvania relies on a well-trained workforce who are ready to step into family-supporting careers in the industries our commonwealth needs most.
Grow PA is creating two programs to retain more homegrown talent and encourage the best students from other states to come to Pennsylvania.
The Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program provides strong financial incentives (up to $5,000 per year) for in-state students to pursue careers in high-demand industries such as agriculture, energy, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. We provide Additionally, the new Grow PA Merit Scholarship Program will provide tuition at in-state rates to high-achieving students from other states if they agree to attend a school in the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education.
Both programs require students to live and work in Pennsylvania for a period of time after graduation. Given the tuition savings these students can realize, we believe they will perceive it to be a fair deal.
This approach also recognizes Pennsylvania's critical workforce needs. We need more teachers, more law enforcement, more farmers, large animal veterinarians, and more medical professionals. Grow PA achieves these goals by matching educational programs with high-quality jobs available from home.
Instituting these programs will send a powerful message to young people. We want you to receive an affordable, high-quality education in Pennsylvania, advance your career here, and put down roots here.
Grow PA doesn't just create new programs to attract and retain talent. We will also expand on other successful educational programs. This includes Dual Enrollment, Ready to Succeed Scholarships, Targeted Industry Support Programs, and Foster/Adoption Programs.
This plan is not just for universities. It will also include investments in career and technical centers to continue to provide a pipeline of young skilled workers to Pennsylvania's growing employers.
By creating a performance-based funding model for state-affiliated institutions such as Pitt, Penn State, and Temple, our plan also adds an important layer of accountability for funding specific to these institutions. It has been. This ensures that every dollar invested in these schools produces the best possible outcome for taxpayers.
It is widely recognized that we must do something To improve Pennsylvania's higher education system. We cannot rely on a big government solution that judges our state's performance solely based on the tax dollars we spend. We need practical solutions that produce positive outcomes for students, families, and communities.
Grow PA provides a true blueprint for making Pennsylvania more competitive in higher education, workforce development, and economic success. We believe our approach has bipartisan support and we can begin reaching young people immediately.
We hope this plan will be the start of a positive new trend. It's about enabling young people to come here, stay here, find jobs here, buy homes here and help our communities grow healthier and more vibrant.
State Sen. Scott Martin, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, represents parts of Lancaster and Berks counties. State Rep. Jesse Topper, the Republican chairman of the House Education Committee, represents the 78th Legislative District, which includes Bedford and Fulton counties.