What is the Value of a Quality Education?

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Okay, a read of an article by an economist isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but this is one I had to share.  John Norris is the chief economist at Oakworth Capital Bank and in the attached he presents a compelling case for the national economic benefits of education.  Being an economist, there are lots of numbers and statistics in the article but John’s gift is putting these in “real world” terms that make sense and actually apply to something.  To give you the equivalent of the back of the book teaser to read the piece: “As such, the problem with a poorly trained or inadequately prepared US workforce has less to do with investments than it does society as a whole. US companies will get their profits from somewhere, of that you can be sure. However, will US workers be able to get competitive jobs and enjoy an ever higher standard of living?  Those are the real questions.  In the end, it is up to us: do we want to educate our workers more effectively? If so, we have to demand it from the bottom up, as it won’t come from the top down. If you have children and grandchildren, raise hell at the Board of Education.  Hey, it might not help or hurt your pocketbook all that much, but it certainly will help their livelihoods. That is the value of a quality education….attractive opportunities for the future generations.” Click here to read the full article.  We want to hear your feedback.