Ensuring student success today and a prepared workforce for tomorrow
Focus Areas: Education
Education is one of two segments connecting the cradle to career pipeline.
Research shows that Tampa Bay has many opportunities to improve in both performance and educational attainment. Strong performance in kindergarten readiness and third-grade reading contributes to higher graduation rates, and less disconnected youth. Progress in these areas boost educational outcomes which will shape prosperity as an adult.
The Partnership is focusing on facilitating collaboration around early childhood learning, literacy, and developing career-driven skill sets throughout the educational continuum.
Data Highlights
36.03%
of Tampa Bay residents, age 25+, have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher compared with 40.30% for the national average.
(Source: 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report)
53.57%
Improving by nearly six percentage points from last year, 53.57% of third grade students are reading on level according to exams.
(Source: 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report)
85.70%
of Tampa Bay students graduate from high school. Tampa Bay currently ranks 14th of 20 comparison communities in high school graduation rates. Economically disadvantaged students graduate at a rate of 79.31%, putting us in 15th place.
(Source: 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report)
48.45%
of three- and four-year-olds are currently enrolled in school in the Tampa Bay region. This metric has improved by over 6% since the 2024 report.
(Source: 2025 Regional Competitiveness Report)
79%
Nationally, of jobs that pay greater than $60k, 79% currently require a college degree. (Microsoft, August 2022.)
Education Subcommittee
28
Members From
21
Organizations
The Education Subcommittee is a subsection of the Talent Working Group. They identify and address the early stages of the regional talent pipeline, focusing on early learning and K-12 education.
Helen Wesley
President, TECO Peoples Gas System
Related Research
Education indicators inform nearly ⅓ of all research in the Regional Competitiveness Report.
Focus Areas
