Measuring Up 2004 Texas

Measuring Up: The Basics Looks at higher education for the entire state, not individual colleges and universities. Focuses on undergraduate education and training beyond high school. Measures “performance,” not “effort.” “Diagnostic” rather than “prescriptive.” New this year: progress over the past decade.

Measuring Up: The Basics Six categories of performance (five graded). Grades benchmarked to “best performing” states. Uses nationally comparable data, available from public sources. Uses the most recent data available. –In general, data have a two-year time lag. –Affordability data are one year old.

Measuring Up: Graded Categories Preparation: How adequately are students being prepared for education and training beyond high school? Participation: Do state residents enroll in education and training beyond high school? Affordability: How affordable is higher education for students and their families? Completion: Do students make progress toward and complete certificates and degrees in a timely manner? Benefits: What benefits does the state receive as a result of having a more highly-educated population? Learning: What is known about student learning as a result of education and training beyond high school?

National Trends: Over the Past Decade Eight states improved substantially in Preparation as well as in Participation. Thirty-six states, including Texas, improved substantially in Preparation but failed to improve in Participation. Almost all states, including Texas, have lost ground in Affordability.

Over the Past Decade, Texas Has Mediocre Results in Providing College Opportunities

TEXAS 2004 Report Card Preparation Participation Affordability Completion Benefits Learning C+ C D C B- I

TEXAS Improvement Over Past Decade PreparationParticipationAffordabilityCompletionBenefitsLearning What do the arrows mean? Improved on more than half of the indicators in the category. Improved on some, but no more than half, of the indicators in the category. Declined on every indicator in the category. ?

Preparation 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C+ TEXAS

NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Preparation

SOUTHERN REGION Preparation Texas’ performance in Preparation is in the middle of the Southern states. Southern States A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F = 93 and up = = = = = = = = = = = Below 60 Grades LAALMSTNOKKYARGASCFLTXWVNCVA 77

STRENGTHS Top-performing state in percentage of high school students enrolling in upper-level math. Among top states in improvement on this measure. Over past decade, percentage of young adults from low-income families earning high school credential increased substantially. Preparation TEXAS

WEAKNESSES One of lowest performing states in percentage of young adults with high school credential. Small percentage of high school students enroll in upper-level science. Eighth graders perform poorly on national assessments in science and math. Scores of low- income 8th graders especially low in math. Preparation TEXAS

WEAKNESSES Small proportions of 11th and 12th graders take and perform well on Advanced Placement tests and college entrance exams. Only fair percentage of secondary students taught by a qualified teacher. Black and Hispanic high school students only two-thirds as likely as whites to enroll in upper-level science and math. Preparation TEXAS

Participation 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C TEXAS

NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Participation

SOUTHERN REGION Texas’ performance in Participation is in the middle of the Southern states. A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F = 93 and up = = = = = = = = = = = Below 60 Grades GAMSLAWVTNARSCALOKTXFLNCKYVA Southern States 74

WEAKNESSES Likelihood of 9th graders enrolling in college within four years is low. May put state at risk given large increase of high school graduates (26%) projected over next 15 years. Small percentage of working-age adults enroll in college-level education. Decline on this measure over last decade, mirroring national decrease. Participation TEXAS

Participation WEAKNESSES About 23% of adults without high school diploma or equivalent (national average: 14%), making them ineligible for participation in higher education. Young adults from high-income families almost three times as likely as those from low- income families to attend college. TEXAS

2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade D Affordability TEXAS

NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Affordability

SOUTHERN REGION Affordability Texas’ performance in Affordability is the best in the Southern states; however, overall performance in the region is poor. A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F = 93 and up = = = = = = = = = = = Below 60 Grades ALSCTNWVMSFLGALAAROKKYVANCTX Southern States 63

Affordability WEAKNESSES Net college costs for low- and middle-income students to attend community colleges represent more than 30% of annual family income. For same students at public four-year colleges and universities, net costs represent nearly 40% of income. Low- and middle- income families earn on average $18,000 per year. TEXAS

Completion 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C TEXAS

NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Completion

SOUTHERN REGION Completion Texas’ performance in Completion is among the worst in the Southern states. A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F = 93 and up = = = = = = = = = = = Below 60 Grades OKARTXWVLAKYTNALMSSCGAVANCFL Southern States 73

STRENGTHS Large percentage of freshmen at four-year colleges and universities return for second year. Over past decade, gaps narrowed between whites and other ethnic groups in proportions of students earning certificates and degrees relative to numbers enrolled. Nonetheless, substantial gaps remain. Completion TEXAS

WEAKNESSES Small percentage of freshmen at community colleges return for second year. Only fair proportion of students earn bachelor’s degree within six years. Small percentage of students complete certificates and degrees relative to number enrolled. Completion TEXAS

Benefits 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade B- TEXAS

NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Benefits

SOUTHERN REGION Benefits Texas’ performance in Benefits is in the middle of the Southern states. A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F = 93 and up = = = = = = = = = = = Below 60 Grades WVARSCMSLANCTNALOKFLTXGAKYVA Southern States 81

WEAKNESSES Only fair proportion of residents have bachelor’s degree, compared with top- performing states. Benefits TEXAS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If all ethnic groups had same educational attainment and earnings as whites, total personal income in state would be about $31.4 billion higher, and state would realize an estimated $11 billion in additional tax revenues. Benefits TEXAS

Forty-five states, including Texas, receive an Incomplete in Learning because no comparable data exist to allow for meaningful state-by-state comparisons Grade I Learning TEXAS

Learning NATIONAL SNAPSHOT

GRADING LEARNING States with a “plus” grade (IL, KY, NV, OK, SC) participated in a national pilot project on measuring Learning led by the National Forum on College-Level Learning. Learning

GRADING LEARNING The pilot project measured the states in terms of: Literacy levels of the state’s residents What are the abilities of the college-educated? Graduates’ readiness for advanced practice How well do colleges and universities enable students to contribute to the workforce? Performance of college graduates How effectively can college graduates communicate and solve problems? Learning

Policy Questions TEXAS

Can Texas increase the number of students who finish high school within four years? Can Texas accommodate the increasing size and diversity of the young population preparing to enroll in higher education? Policy Questions TEXAS

Can the state encourage more residents to get a General Education Development (GED) credential in order to increase educational attainment for working-age adults? Can Texas close the gaps in educational achievement between its white and its minority ethnic populations? Policy Questions TEXAS

Can the state’s two-year colleges be made more affordable for students and their families? Can the state develop financial aid programs that more effectively meet the needs of students from low-income families? Policy Questions TEXAS

Full State Report: Measuring Up About the Center: The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education For More Information