2 minute read
A. Education Levels
SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
EDUCATION LEVELS
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with at least some college education have mortality rates (deaths per 1,000 individuals per year) less than half of those without any college education. In addition, people who are more educated exhibit less anxiety and depression, have fewer functional limitations, and are less likely to have a serious health condition like diabetes, cardiovascular disease or asthma.
Nearly 72% of Orange County’s population over the age of three are not enrolled in school while 28.3% are enrolled.
The Orange County Department of Education is a public education organization offering support to 27 school districts. It is estimated that there are 493,030 students enrolled in public schools in Orange County. Enrollment is comprised of the following: 49.1% Hispanic or Latino, 27.5% White, 15.6% Asian/Asian American, 2.1% Filipino, 1.4% Black, 0.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 4.0% Other.
In Orange County, about 5.7% of high school students drop out of school. 11 This rate is less than that of California’s high school dropout rate of 10.7%. 12 High school dropout rates are important to track when determining educational attainment. Educational attainment is a social determinant of health and is one of 26 leading health indicators (LHI) of Healthy People 2020. Its objective is to increase the proportion of students graduating from high school within 4 years of starting 9th grade.
2013-2017 Population 3+ by School Enrollment (ACS) Orange County
California Number % of Total Number % of Total
Not Enrolled in School
- Enrolled in Nursery/Preschool 49,835 1.6% 597,861 1.6% - Enrolled in Kindergarten 38,493 1.3% 523,699 1.4% - Enrolled in Grade 1-4 152,101 5.0% 1,967,827 5.2% - Enrolled in Grade 5-8 164,590 5.4% 2,035,389 5.4% - Enrolled in Grade 9-12 175,723 5.8% 2,174,435 5.8% - Enrolled in College 233,022 7.7% 2,703,745 7.2% - Enrolled in Grad/Professional School 48,388 1.6% 515,267 1.4%
Source : Es ri a nd US. Ce ns us , 2019
11 Esri Demographics – 2019 Population Estimates based in US Census and American Communities Survey 2013-2017 12 California Dept. of Education, California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System. As cited by www.kidsdata.org. Retrieved 9/2019.
Additionally, Orange County’s educational attainment is higher than California with nearly half of the population having earned a college degree or higher. Specifically, 26.4% of the population obtained a bachelor’s degree, 14.7% obtained a graduate/professional degree, and 7.7% achieved an associate degree.
2019 Educational Attainment
Orange County California
Less than 9th Grade 9-12th Grade/No Di pl oma Hi gh School Di pl oma GED/Al ternati ve Credenti al Some Col l ege/No Degree Col l ege Degree
Number Percentage Number Percentage
174,353 7.8% 2,398,105 9.0% 137,966 6.2% 1,945,226 7.3% 349,136 15.7% 4,978,329 18.6% 37,113 1.7% 602,829 2.2% 441,880 19.8% 5,626,754 21.0% 1,086,646 48.8% 11,243,010 42.0%
- Associ ate Degree
172,073 7.7% 2,081,852 7.8% - Bachel or Degree 588,219 26.4% 5,720,791 21.4% - Graduate/Professi onal Degree 326,354 14.7% 3,440,367 12.8%
2019 Educational Attainment Base 2,227,094 100% 26,794,253 100%
Source : Es ri , 2019
Increased education attainment leads to higher incomes that helps in the purchasing of healthy foods, affords more time to exercise regularly, and pays for health services and transportation. Conversely, job insecurity, low wages, and lack of assets associated with less education can make individuals and families more vulnerable during hard times—which can lead to poor nutrition, unstable housing, and unmet medical needs.
