Education officials in Kansas say the state needs more high school graduates who go on to college or career training programs to fill its future employment demand.

Deputy Education Commissioner Brad Neuenswander presented new state education data to the Kansas State Board of Education on Wednesday.

Neuenswander says that over 70 percent of jobs are going to require some form of additional certification or degree after high school by 2020.

The state data, obtained from nonprofit National Student Clearinghouse, shows that less than half of Kansas high school students achieved a degree or certificate or were enrolled in a postsecondary program two years after graduation.

The education department recently began tracking the data to help determine how to accredit school districts.

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Associated Press information from: Lawrence Journal-World