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Girls and Young Women Adult Women Elder Women

Education & Leadership

Every day women and girls in Monterey County strive to pursue their dream of an education and self-improvement despite intimidating challenges: family responsibilities, difficulty finding a well-paying job, the high cost of post-secondary education. The absence of reliable, affordable quality childcare is one of the major obstacles for local women. While more girls are graduating from high school, the numbers of those continuing on to college are decreasing. Without mentoring and role models, some girls find little support to stay in school or to persevere through the challenges of pursuing a higher education. Without a good educational background or support from role models, women are less likely to take on leadership positions in business, in politics and in civic organizations.

Snapshot of Key Data

  •  More than one in six Monterey County girls drops out of high school.
  •  Educational test scores have improved – (3rd grade girls increased 25% in English/Language Arts and 36% in Mathematics over 2004). For 7th grade students gains were even better. English/Language Arts scores were up 47% and Mathematics scores climbed by an average of 54% for the same period. However scores for both grades still lagged behind state averages.
  • 26.5% of Monterey County women over age 25 did not have a high school diploma in 2009
  • The rate of State college or university attendance among public high school graduates has declined steadily, dropping from 46% in 2004 to only 28% in 2009.
  • The percentage of elected offices held by women has increased 10% to 36% since 2004. However, the number of women in management positions is down 7% to 47% for the same time period.
     

 What we heard

  • Women and girls of all ages face barriers to pursuing and completing an education.
  • The cost of education and financial constraints often prevent women from pursuing post-secondary education.
  • Under-resourced schools, colleges and communities struggle to provide the educational experience that women need to succeed in a new economy.
  • Traditional gender roles and family obligations place limitations on many young women’s pursuit of academic and career goals.
  • Geographic distances, lack of transportation and incompatible schedules are obstacles to accessing educational opportunities.
  • Lack of affordable, quality childcare forces women to postpone or abandon their educational goals.
  • Girls brought to the United States as children, but who lack legal residency status, face barriers to higher education.
  • Females in Monterey County continue to experience a “glass ceiling” in terms of education and leadership opportunities.


CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Community members of all ages recommended creating a “place” or opportunities for women to come together for respite, to share ideas and concerns, to develop self-advocacy and self-sufficiency skills, to participate in to civic life, including policy making, and to act together.  

Regardless of age and socio-economic status, women recommend:

Financial support for women to complete and further their education;

Training / life skills development programs for women entering or re-entering the job market;

Support to help advance women in leadership positions;

Cooperative associations for women in business and women business owners;  

A broad range of curricular and free extra-curricular opportunities for K-12 students (e.g., arts and sports programs, bullying prevention programs, and community-based inter-generational support programs); 

Improved educational experiences (e.g., better “advanced placement” classes for students, reducing teacher turnover, raising performance expectations, and adequately staffing the schools with health educators and mental health and career counselors);

Academic programs and tutorials outside the school setting, including home-based tutorials (e.g., for girls who must care for siblings after school);

Opportunities for recreation and productive, healthy experiences in the community (teen center, bookstores, library computer space and quiet study areas);

Quality, affordable and accessible child care for teen mothers to enable girls to stay in school and complete their education, and  for working women;

Life skills training that promotes independence and self-sufficiency, such as knowing how to search for opportunities and services, knowing how to get involved and participate in community, and giving voice to other women and the issues that impact them.