Once the world leader for college completion, the U.S. now ranks 10th, with less than three in 10 full-time community college students completing an associate degree after three years.

Oregon and 16 other states are now working to improve the situation by setting college-completion goals, developing plans to meet those goals and reporting the progress of their students.

Oregon has set a goal of seeing 40 percent of its adult, working-age population gain a bachelor's degree or higher by 2025. The goal also calls for another 40 percent of adults to earn at least a community college degree, and the remaining 20 percent to have at least a high school diploma.

Now, 36 percent of Oregon residents between ages 25 and 34 have a community college degree or higher. Oregon's college completion rate is 15 percent for community college students, 54 percent for public four-year university students and 67 percent for students attending private four-year colleges, according to Complete College.

Read the full story at OregonLive.com.