1. Measuring Up 2004 Texas

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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?

5. 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.

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

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

8. 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. ?

9. Preparation 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C+ TEXAS

10. NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Preparation

11. 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 = 90-92 = 87-89 = 83-86 = 80-82 = 77-79 = 73-76 = 70-72 = 67-69 = 63-66 = 60-62 = Below 60 Grades 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 LAALMSTNOKKYARGASCFLTXWVNCVA 77

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Participation 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C TEXAS

16. NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Participation

17. 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 = 90-92 = 87-89 = 83-86 = 80-82 = 77-79 = 73-76 = 70-72 = 67-69 = 63-66 = 60-62 = Below 60 Grades 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 GAMSLAWVTNARSCALOKTXFLNCKYVA Southern States 74

18. 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

19. 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

20. 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade D Affordability TEXAS

21. NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Affordability

22. 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 = 90-92 = 87-89 = 83-86 = 80-82 = 77-79 = 73-76 = 70-72 = 67-69 = 63-66 = 60-62 = Below 60 Grades 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 ALSCTNWVMSFLGALAAROKKYVANCTX Southern States 63

23. 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

24. Completion 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade C TEXAS

25. NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Completion

26. 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 = 90-92 = 87-89 = 83-86 = 80-82 = 77-79 = 73-76 = 70-72 = 67-69 = 63-66 = 60-62 = Below 60 Grades 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 OKARTXWVLAKYTNALMSSCGAVANCFL Southern States 73

27. 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

28. 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

29. Benefits 2004 Grade Improvement Over Decade B- TEXAS

30. NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Benefits

31. 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 = 90-92 = 87-89 = 83-86 = 80-82 = 77-79 = 73-76 = 70-72 = 67-69 = 63-66 = 60-62 = Below 60 Grades 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 WVARSCMSLANCTNALOKFLTXGAKYVA Southern States 81

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

33. 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

34. Forty-five states, including Texas, receive an Incomplete in Learning because no comparable data exist to allow for meaningful state-by-state comparisons. 2004 Grade I Learning TEXAS

35. Learning NATIONAL SNAPSHOT

36. 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

37. 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

38. Policy Questions TEXAS

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. Full State Report: Measuring Up 2004 http://measuringup.highereducation.org http://measuringup.highereducation.org About the Center: The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education http://www.highereducation.org http://www.highereducation.org For More Information