ERIC ED503563: Measuring Up 2008: The State Report Card on Higher Education. Nebraska

2008·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

MEASURING UP
2008
THE STATE REPORT CARD
ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Nebraska
What Is Measuring Up? A Snapshot of
Grades and
M Change Over Time
easuring Up is a series of biennial report cards that provide the general public
Preparation:
and policymakers with information to assess and improve higher education in Grades: 6 states received an A,
18 states received a B, 21 states
each state. The report cards evaluate states because they are primarily responsible
received a C, 5 states received a
for educational access and quality in the United States. This year’s edition, Measuring
D, and no state received an F.
Up 2008, is the fifth in the series, which began in 2000. In Measuring Up, “higher
Change Over Time:* 34 states
education” refers to all education and training beyond high school, including public have improved or remained
stable on the key indicator
and private, two- and four-year, and for-profit and nonprofit institutions.
and 16 states have declined on
the key indicator.
The report card grades states in six overall all portion of income that most families must de-
Participation:
performance categories: vote for higher education continues to escalate.
Grades: 2 states received an A,
Preparation: How adequately does the state In Measuring Up 2008, state performance in 8 states received a B, 22 states
prepare students for education and training higher education is assessed in three ways: received a C, 15 states received
beyond high school? a D, and 3 states received an F.
Graded Information: Each state’s current
Participation: Do state residents have sufficient performance is compared with that of the best- Change Over Time:* 43 states
opportunities to enroll in education and training performing states, and the results are indicated have improved or remained
beyond high school? by letter grades. stable on the key indicator
and 7 states have declined on
Affordability: How affordable is higher educa- Change Over Time: Change Over Time indicators
the key indicator.
tion for students and their families? compare each state’s current performance with its
Affordability:
own previous performance in the 1990s. For each
Completion: Do students make progress toward
category, the state’s change is determined by its Grades: 1 state received a C
and complete their certificates or degrees in a
improvement or decline in performance on a key and 49 states received an F.
timely manner?
indicator in that category. This information is Change Over Time:* 2 states
Benefits: What benefits does the state receive displayed in two ways. First, states receive either an have improved or remained
from having a highly educated population? “up” or a “down” arrow in each performance area stable on the key indicator
(see page 3). An “up” arrow indicates that the state and 48 states have declined
Learning: What is known about student learning
has increased or remained stable on the key indica- on the key indicator.
as a result of education and training beyond high
tor in the category, a “down” arrow indicates that
school? Completion:
the state has declined on the key indicator in the
Grades: 11 states received
Each state receives a letter grade in each per- category. Secondly, information about Change
an A, 20 states received a B,
formance category. Each grade is based on the Over Time is presented graphically in greater detail
16 states received a C, 1 state
state’s performance on several indicators, or on the fourth page of this report card.
received a D, and 2 states
quantitative measures, in that category.
International Comparisons: As in 2006, this year’s received an F.
In four of the performance categories — Prepara- edition of Measuring Up offers international
Change Over Time:* 48 states
tion, Participation, Completion, and Benefits — comparisons that reveal how well the United States
have improved or remained
grades are calculated by comparing each state’s and each of the 50 states are preparing residents
stable on the key indicator
current performance with that of the best-per- with the knowledge and skills necessary to
and 2 states have declined on
forming states. This comparison provides a bench- compete in a global economy. State performance
the key indicator.
mark for evaluating each state’s performance is compared with the performance of nations that
Benefits:
within a national context and encourages each are associated with the Organisation for Economic
state to “measure up” to the highest-performing Co-operation and Development (OECD). Grades: 5 states received an A,
states. The Affordability category is the exception. 15 states received a B, 19 states
In Measuring Up 2008, all states receive an
In this category, the state’s current performance is received a C, 10 states received
“Incomplete” in Learning because there are not
compared with the performance of the best states a D, and 1 state received an F.
sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state
in the late 1990s, since current performance re- Change Over Time:* 50 states
comparisons. Measuring Up 2006 provided state-
flects a trend to “measure down” rather than have improved or remained
specific information on Learning for nine states,
“measure up.” All but one state receive an “F” in stable on the key indicator.
but in 2008 no state collects and provides the
Affordability. The failing grades in this category
information necessary to determine the state’s * For the key indicators for Change
confirm the fast decline in affordable higher edu-
“educational capital” — or the level of knowledge Over Time, please see the five in-
cation for American families. Despite state and
and skills possessed by its residents. dicators with asterisks on page 4.
federal increases in student financial aid, the over-
MEASURING UP 2008 2 www.highereducation.org
Nebraska
PREPARATION
Nebraska performs fairly well in preparing its REPORT CARD
B-
young people for college, but there are large
gaps by ethnicity.
2008 Grade
nEighth graders perform well in math, science, and
Preparation B-
reading, but their scores in writing are fairly low.
Scores in math have declined over the decade.
nOnly 61% of Hispanics have a high school creden- Participation B
Change Over Time
tial, compared with 94% of whites—one of the
largest gaps in the nation.
Affordability F
Completion B+
PARTICIPATION
Nebraska does well in providing college op-
B Benefits B
portunities for its residents.
nThe likelihood of enrolling in college by age 19 is
2008 Grade
very high, but a fairly low percentage of working- Learning I
age adults are enrolled in higher education.
nTwenty-three percent of Hispanic young adults are
enrolled in college, compared with 42% of whites.
Change Over Time
AFFORDABILITY BENEFITS
Higher education has become less affordable A fairly large proportion of residents have a
F B
for students and their families. bachelor’s degree, but there are substantial
nPoor and working-class families must devote 37% gaps by ethnicity.
2008 Grade 2008 Grade
of their income, even after aid, to pay for costs at nEleven percent of Hispanics have a bachelor’s
public four-year colleges. degree, compared with 32% of whites.
nFinancial aid to low-income students is low. For nIf all racial/ethnic groups had the same
every dollar in Pell Grant aid to students, the state educational attainment and earnings as whites,
Change Over Time Change Over Time
spends only 19 cents. total annual personal income in the state would
be about $1 billion higher.
COMPLETION LEARNING
Nebraska performs well in awarding Like all states, Nebraska receives an
B+ I
certificates and degrees. “Incomplete” in Learning because there is
nFifty-six percent of college students complete a not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-
2008 Grade 2008 Grade by-state comparisons.
bachelor’s degree within six years—and this per-
centage has increased over the decade.
nHowever, only 43% of Hispanics graduate within
six years, compared with 58% of whites.
Change Over Time
WHAT DO THE ARROWS MEAN?
State has increased or remained stable on the key indicator
State has declined on the key indicator in the category.
in the category.
MEASURING UP 2008 3 www.highereducation.org
CHANGE OVER TIME: KEY INDICATORS Nebraska 2008
This page reflects Nebraska’s performance and progress since the early 1990s on several key
indicators.
PREPARATION PARTICIPATION
The percentage of young adults in Nebraska who College enrollment of young adults in Nebraska The enrollment of working-age adults, relative to
earn a high school diploma has decreased slightly has remained stable since the early 1990s. The state the number of residents without a bachelor’s
since the early 1990s. High school completion is is above the national average but below the top degree, has declined substantially in Nebraska—
above the U.S. average but below the top- states in the percentage of young adults enrolled. as it has nationally and in the best-performing
performing states. states. The percentage attending college in
Nebraska is higher than the U.S. average but
below the top states.
Percentage of 18–24 Year-Olds with Percentage of 18–24 Year-Olds Percentage of 25–49 Year-Olds Without a
a High School Credential* Enrolled in College* Bachelor’s Degree Enrolled in College
100 60 12
10.6
95
95 94 94
91 50 43 44 10 10.5 9.3 8.9
90 93 92 39 7.9
88 40 41 39 8
85 86 86 39 6.3
7.2
30 33 34 6 6.9
80
29 5.7
75 20 4
1990-92 1998-2000 2006 1991 2001 2007 1991 2001 2007
AFFORDABILITY COMPLETION BENEFITS
The share of family income, even after financial The number of undergraduate credentials The percentage of residents who have a
aid, needed to pay for college has risen substan- and degrees awarded in Nebraska, relative to bachelor’s degree has increased considerably
tially. To attend public two- and four-year colleges the number of students enrolled, has increased in Nebraska. The state is above the U.S. average
in Nebraska, students and families pay less than the since the early 1990s. Nebraska surpasses the U.S. but below the top states.
U.S. average but more than those in the average but is below the top states on
best-performing states. this measure.
Percentage of Income Needed to Pay for All Degree Completions Percentage of 25–64 Year-Olds with
Public Two- and Four-Year Colleges per 100 Students* a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher*
40 Public Two-Year Public Four-Year* 30 40 37
35
35 25
30 27 28 20 21 21 29 30
2205 17 19 21 2419 21 20 1250 15 1176 1819 30 23 2277 29
15 14
15 13 10 20 22
10
10
5
5
0 0 10
1999-2000 2007-2008 1999-2000 2007-2008 1992 2000 2007 1990 2000 2006
*Key indicator for the category.
LEGEND:
& = Nebraska & = United States & = Median of Top Five States
MEASURING UP 2008 4 www.highereducation.org
PREPARATION Nebraska 2008
B- Nebraska performs fairly well in preparing its young people for
college, but there are large gaps by ethnicity.
2008 Grade Change Over Time
Graded Information
PREPARATION Nebraska Top
Compared with other states: States
Early 1990s* 2008
nNinety-one percent of young
High School Completion (25%)
adults in Nebraska earn a high
school diploma or General 18- to 24-year-olds with a high school credential 93% 91% 95%
Education Development (GED) K-12 Course Taking (30%)
diploma by age 24.
9th to 12th graders taking at least one upper-level math course 39% 61%** 64%
nA small proportion (31%) of 8th 9th to 12th graders taking at least one upper-level science course 23% 37%** 46%
graders take algebra.
8th grade students taking algebra n/a 31% 47%
nEighth graders perform very well K-12 Student Achievement (35%)
on national assessments in read-
8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on the national
ing, indicating that they are well 26% 35% 41%
assessment exam in math
prepared to succeed in challeng-
8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on the national
ing high school courses. They also n/a 35% 39%
assessment exam in reading
perform well in math and science,
8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on the national
but their performance in writing is 35% 36% 41%
assessment exam in science
fairly low.
8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on the national
nThe performance of low-income assessment exam in writing n/a 32% 46%
8th graders on national
Low-income 8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on
assessments in math is fairly low. the national assessment exam in math 19% 17% 24%
nVery large proportions of 11th and Number of scores in the top 20% nationally on SAT/ACT
167 242 265
12th graders score well on college college entrance exam per 1,000 high school graduates
entrance exams. However, very Number of scores that are 3 or higher on an Advanced
32 59 237
small proportions score well on Placement subject test per 1,000 high school juniors and seniors
Advanced Placement tests, placing Teacher Quality (10%)
Nebraska among the lowest-per-
7th to 12th graders taught by teachers with a major in their subject n/a 78% 83%
forming states on this measure.
*The indicators report data beginning in the early 1990s or the closest year for which reliable data are available.
nSeventy-eight percent of See theTechnical Guide for Measuring Up 2008.
secondary school students are
**Data from Measuring Up 2006 were used because updated state information was not available.
taught by qualified teachers,
which compares very well with
Change in Graded Measures Other Key Facts
top-performing states.
nOver the past several years, Nebraska has consistently nAmong working-age adults (ages 25 to 49) without a
Performance Gaps performed very well in the percentage of 8th graders high school diploma, only 11 out of 1,000 earned a
nThere is a 22% gap between whites scoring well on national assessments in reading. GED.
and all minorities in the percent- nThe percentage of low-income 8th graders nAbout 14% of children under age 18 live in poverty,
age of 18- to 24-year-olds with a performing well on national assessments in math has compared with a national rate of 18%.
high school credential, which is decreased substantially over the past decade.
nPolicymakers and state residents do not have access to
one of the largest gaps in the Nebraska is the only state to decline on this measure.
important information about the courses students
United States. Among the same
take in high school because the state declined to
population, 61% of Hispanics, the
participate in the national survey.
largest minority population in Ne-
braska, have a high school creden-
tial, compared with 94% of whites.
The preparation category measures how well a state’s K-12 schools prepare students for education and training beyond high school. The opportunities that
residents have to enroll in and benefit from higher education depend heavily on the performance of their state’s K-12 educational system.
MEASURING UP 2008 5 www.highereducation.org
PARTICIPATION Nebraska 2008
B
Nebraska does well in providing college opportunities for its residents.
2008 Grade Change Over Time
Graded Information
Nebraska
PARTICIPATION Top
Compared with other states: States
Early 1990s* 2008
nThe chance of Nebraska high
Young Adults (67%)
school students enrolling in
college by age 19 is very high. Chance for college by age 19 55% 53% 57%
nHowever, a fairly low percentage 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college 39% 39% 44%
of working-age adults (ages 25 to Working-Age Adults (33%)
49) are enrolled in college-level 25- to 49-year-olds enrolled in any type of postsecondary
10.5% 6.3% 8.9%
education or training. education with no bachelor’s degree or higher
*The indicators report data beginning in the early 1990s or the closest year for which reliable data are available.
Performance Gaps See theTechnical Guide for Measuring Up 2008.
nThere is an 18% gap between
whites and all minorities in the
Change in Graded Measures Other Key Facts
percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds
enrolled in college, which is one nSince the early 1990s, the percentage of working-age nNebraska’s population is projected to grow by 4%
of the largest gaps in the United adults (ages 25 to 49) who are enrolled in education or from 2005 to 2025, below the national increase of
States. The gap between whites training beyond high school has declined by 40%, 18%. During approximately the same period, the
and Hispanics is 19%. among the largest declines in the nation. number of high school graduates is projected to
increase by 4%.
nAbout 11% of the adult population has less than a
high school diploma or its equivalent, compared with
16% nationwide.
nIn Nebraska, 191 more students are entering the state
than leaving to attend college. About 17% of
Nebraska high school graduates who go to college
attend college out of state.
The participation category addresses the opportunities for state residents to enroll in higher education. A strong grade in participation generally indicates that state
residents have high individual expectations for education and that the state provides enough spaces and types of educational programs for its residents.
MEASURING UP 2008 6 www.highereducation.org
AFFORDABILITY Nebraska 2008
Higher education has become less affordable for students
F
and their families.
2008 Grade Change Over Time
Graded Information
Nebraska Top States
nCompared with best-performing AFFORDABILITY Previous Current in Previous
states, families in Nebraska Years* Year Years
devote a large share of family
Family Ability to Pay (50%) 2000 2008
income, even after financial aid,
Percent of income (average of all income groups) needed to
to attend public two-year
pay for college expenses minus financial aid:
colleges, and they devote a very
large share of family income to at community colleges 17% 21% 13%
attend public four-year colleges at public 4-year colleges/universities 21% 27% 10%
and universities in the state.
at private 4-year colleges/universities 40% 59% 30%
These two sectors enroll 78% of
Strategies for Affordability (40%) 1993 2008
Nebraska’s college students.
State investment in need-based financial aid as compared
nNebraska’s investment in need- to the federal investment 6% 19% 89%
based financial aid is very low
At lowest-priced colleges, the share of income that the poorest
when compared with top- families need to pay for tuition 10% 19% 7%
performing states, and the state
Reliance on Loans (10%) 1995 2008
does not offer low-priced college
opportunities. Average loan amount that undergraduate students borrow each year $2,665 $4,728 $2,619
nUndergraduate students borrowed *See the Technical Guide for Measuring Up 2008.
on average $4,728 in 2007. Note: In the affordability category, the lower the figures, the better the performance for all indicators except for “State
investment in need-based financial aid.”
Change in Graded
Measures
nSince the early 1990s, the state
has substantially increased its
commitment to financially needy
students. Nonetheless, the share
of family income, even after
financial aid, needed to pay for
college remains large when
compared with other states.
Other Key Facts
nIn Nebraska, 39% of students are
enrolled in community colleges
and 39% in public four-year
colleges and universities.
The affordability category measures whether students and families can afford to pay for higher education, given income levels, financial aid, and the types of colleges
and universities in the state.
MEASURING UP 2008 7 www.highereducation.org
AFFORDABILITY Nebraska 2008
Financial Burden to Pay for College Varies Widely by Family Income
Those who are striving to reach or stay in the middle class —the 40% of the nIf the same student were to attend a public four-year college in the state,
population with the lowest incomes —earn on average $19,135. their net cost to attend college would represent about 37% of their
nIf a student from such a family were to attend a community college in the income annually.
state, their net cost to attend college would represent about 30% of their Tuition, room, and board: $11,857
income annually.
Financial aid received: -$4,718
Tuition, room, and board: $8,419
Net college cost: $7,139
Financial aid received: -$2,732
Percent of income: 37%
Net college cost: $5,687
Note: The numbers shown for tuition, room, and board, minus financial aid
Percent of income: 30% may not exactly equal net college cost due to rounding.
Community Public 4-Year Private Non-Profit 4-Year
A CLOSER LOOK Colleges colleges/universities colleges/universities
Median Percent Percent Percent
AT FAMILY
Family Net of income Net of income Net of income
Income college needed to college needed to college needed to
ABILITY TO PAY
cost* pay net cost* pay net cost* pay net
college college college
cost cost cost
Income groups used to calculate 2008 family
ability to pay
20% of the population with the lowest income $11,370 $4,501 40 $6,122 54 $16,655 146
20% of the population with lower-middle income $25,467 $6,946 27 $8,055 32 $16,122 63
20% of the population with middle income $42,159 $7,858 19 $9,763 23 $16,662 40
20% of the population with upper-middle income $64,034 $8,162 13 $9,771 15 $17,047 27
20% of the population with the highest income $108,669 $8,245 8 $10,191 9 $18,587 17
40% of the population with the lowest income $19,135 $5,687 30 $7,139 37 $16,402 86
*Net college cost equals tuition, room, and board, minus financial aid.
MEASURING UP 2008 8 www.highereducation.org
COMPLETION Nebraska 2008
B+
Nebraska performs well in awarding certificates and degrees.
2008 Grade Change Over Time
Graded Information
Nebraska
COMPLETION Top
Compared with other states:
States
Early 1990s* 2008
nA high percentage (56%) of first-
year students in community col- Persistence (20%)**
leges return for their second year. 1st year community college students returning their second year 68% 56% 66%
nAt four-year colleges and universi- Freshmen at 4-year colleges/universities returning their
69% 75% 82%
sophomore year
ties, the percentage of freshmen
who return for their sophomore Completion (80%)
year is very high (75%). First-time, full-time students completing a bachelor’s degree
44% 56% 65%
nAmong first-time, full-time college within 6 years of college entrance
students, a high percentage Certificates, degrees, diplomas at all colleges & universities
15 19 21
per 100 undergraduate students
(56%) complete a bachelor’s
degree within six years of Certificates, degrees, diplomas at all colleges & universities
28 38 44
enrolling in college. per 1,000 adults with no college degree
nAlso, a large proportion of stu- *The indicators report data beginning in the early 1990s or the closest year for which reliable data are available.
dents complete certificates and **2008 data may not be comparable with data from previous years. See theTechnical Guide for Measuring Up 2008.
degrees relative to the number
enrolled.
Performance Gaps Change in Graded Measures
nThirty-eight postsecondary certifi-
nThere is a 15% gap between whites and all minorities nOver the past decade, Nebraska has been among the
cates and degrees were awarded
in college graduation rates at four-year institutions. fastest-improving states in the percentage of first-
for every 1,000 people in the
Thirty-six percent of blacks and 43% of Hispanics, the time, full-time college students earning a bachelor’s
state without a college degree.
largest minority populations in Nebraska, graduate degree within six years of enrolling in college.
from a four-year institution within six years,
nSince the early 1990s, the proportion of students who
compared with 58% of whites.
complete certificates and degrees relative to the
nAmong white students, 19 degrees are awarded for number enrolled has increased, with the greatest
every 100 students. In contrast, among all minority growth in bachelor’s degrees awarded.
students, 15 degrees are awarded for every 100
nDuring the same period, Nebraska has also seen an in-
students. Nebraska has one of the largest gaps in the
crease in the number of certificates and degrees com-
United States on this measure. The rate of awards for
pleted relative to the population with no college degree.
blacks and Hispanics, the largest minority
populations in the state, is 17 for every 100
undergraduate enrollments and 12 for every 100
undergraduate enrollments, respectively.
The completion category addresses whether students continue through their educational programs and earn certificates or degrees in a timely manner.
Certificates and degrees from one- and two-year programs as well as the bachelor’s degree are included.
MEASURING UP 2008 9 www.highereducation.org
BENEFITS Nebraska 2008
B A fairly large proportion of residents have a bachelor’s degree, but
there are substantial gaps by ethnicity.
2008 Grade Change Over Time
Graded Information
Nebraska
BENEFITS
Compared with other states: Top States
Early 1990s* 2008
nA fairly large proportion of
residents have a bachelor’s Educational Achievement (38%)
degree. Adults (ages 25 to 64) with an associate’s degree or higher 30% 40% 44%
nIn addition, residents contribute Adults (ages 25 to 64) with a bachelor’s degree or higher 22% 30% 37%
substantially to the civic good, as Economic Benefits (31%)
measured by charitable giving,
Increase in total personal income as a result
volunteerism, and voting.
of the percentage of population with some college
2% 2% 3%
(including an associate’s degree), but not a
Performance Gaps bachelor’s degree
nThere is a 14% gap between Increase in total personal income as a result of the percentage 6% 7% 11%
of population holding a bachelor’s degree
whites and minorities in the
Civic Benefits (31%)
percentage of 25- to 64-year-olds
with a bachelor’s degree or Residents voting in national elections 62% 55% 65%
higher. Among the same Of those who itemize on federal income taxes, the percentage
91% 88% 90%
population, 11% of Hispanics declaring charitable gifts
and 16% of blacks, the largest Increase in volunteering as a result of college education 19% 21% 20%
minority populations in
Adult Skill Levels (0%)**
Nebraska, have a bachelor’s
degree or higher, compared with Quantitative Literacy n/a n/a n/a
32% of whites. Prose Literacy n/a n/a n/a
nIf all racial/ethnic groups had Document Literacy n/a n/a n/a
the same educational attainment
*The indicators report data beginning in the early 1990s or the closest year for which reliable data are available.
and earnings as whites, total See the Technical Guide for Measuring Up 2008.
annual personal income in the
**State-level estimates on these measures are not currently available except for six states participating in an oversample;
state would be about $1 billion NCES intends to release limited 50-state data on this 2003 survey in 2009.
higher.
Change in Graded Other Key Facts
Measures nIn 2007, Nebraska scored 59 on the New Economy nPolicymakers and state residents do not have access to
nSince the early 1990s, the Index, compared with a nationwide score of 62. important information about high-level literacy skills
percentage of residents who have The New Economy Index, created by the Kauffman because the state has declined to participate in the
a bachelor’s degree has Foundation, measures the extent to which a state is national literacy survey.
increased substantially. participating in knowledge-based industries. A higher
score means increased participation.
The benefits category measures the economic and societal benefits that the state receives as a result of having well-educated residents.
MEASURING UP 2008 10 www.highereducation.org