b'Furthermore, by improving tourism andthis approach on a smaller scale. Other cities recreation within the state, more Idahoans mayare encouraged to follow this trend to grow a elect to spend their incomes at home instead ofcreative class culture as a means of insuring a traveling elsewhere. brighter economic future.1Transportation is also a major component of a5. Enhancing higher educationsuccessful tourism industry. Whether by roadHigher education is critical to a states population or air, tourists must be able to travel to Idahoand economic future. Unfortunately, according and move throughout the state to attractionsto a study done by WalletHub, Idaho ranks as eciently and safely. As discussed in thethe 36th most educated state, scoring 30th in Transportation section, many of Idahos roadseducational attainment and 45th in quality of and bridges are aging and becoming liabilities toeducation.8 For Idaho to foster higher education travel instead of assets. Providing maintenancethroughout the population, it must be aordable, and updates to this infrastructure is essentialaccessible, and of a high quality. Idaho has great for both the safety of Idahoans and the futureeducation assets to leverage, particularly as transportation economy. related to innovation, thus choosing to support these institutions at world-class levels would 3. Sustainable agriculture to meet globalbe prudent. The primary challenges include and local needs aordable access to higher education and nding The challenges to food security and 21st centuryways to provide adequate state support for agriculture is explored in the previous sectionuniversity budgets amongst many competing as a dynamic force of future change. If Idahobudget priorities.1 A Higher Education Task positions itself wisely, meeting this challengeForce, created February 1, 2017, formulated the could be protable for its economy. In practice,following top-ve recommendations to improve this will demand both large-and small-scalehigher education in Idaho:agriculture to become more knowledge-intensive. Farmers and agricultural entities will1. Improve eciencies, cost savings, and service need to grow technical and systemic knowledgeby migrating from a federated system to a regarding agricultural and ecological bestmore centralized, student-centric systempractices with a focus on sustainability, for what2. Restate the 60 percent goal, which is not sustainable cannot continue as a validaims to have 60 percent of the states method of food production. A proactive andcitizens between the ages of 25-34 hold a intelligent approach such as this would result inpostsecondary educationmany benets, such as more careers in farming,3. Implement structural change and system more protection for the environment, less soilimprovements to remove barriers to students erosion, a revitalization of rural culture, and evenprogressing through the educational pipelineimprovements in public health.14. Adopt a comprehensive guided pathways 4. Attracting the creative class with communityprogram to provide culturally relevant development support and guidance for studentsThe creative class refers to both creative high- 5. Improve postsecondary completion through tech industries and a highly paid educated laborresearch based eective programs that lead force. Boise was able to support the growth of itsto on-time completion in certicate and creative class beginning in the 1990s by utilizingdegree programs for all students9smart urban development, support for and from higher education, and by clustering a criticalFor a more detailed look at the role of higher mass of tech companies, which greatly aidededucation, see the Higher Education section at the development of Boises robust economicthe end of this document.growth. Idaho Falls has successfully mimicked Economic Outlook 37'