The Other 85 Percent

What is ‘Measuring Up’ measuring?

December 9, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

On Dec. 3, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released “Measuring Up 2008: The National Report Card on Higher Education” that has received a predictable amount of media attention. I compliment Pat Callan and his colleagues for calling for more data, transparency, and understanding of the current state and changes underway in American higher education. The work they are doing is important and useful.

But, there is also a need to recognize the limitations of their data and their report card. Because education is the bailiwick of the states rather than the federal government, it is natural on one level to approach a report card on a state by state basis. But, this is also problematic because geography is no longer an important limiter in access to or provision of education. There are a number of national universities and many other universities that offer programs across state borders. Please note that, while cross-border is often used to describe the crossing of international borders, I am using that term to describe the crossing of state borders. In fact, the increasing number of online programs that are cross-border may confound the data used in Measuring Up and lead to inaccurate conclusions. And, the failure to consider the impact of these types of institutions, of which Capella University is one, by state policymakers continues to be a problem. The state policymakers fail to understand or leverage the advantages that these institutions offer in enhancing state higher education attainment rates and workforce development efforts.

Pat Callan acknowledges that the data available are problematic, and is quoted by the Chronicle of Higher Education, “the information the federal government does collect is about a diminishing part of the college population: first-time, full-time students who remain at the same institution throughout their college careers. We’re still dealing with a kind of 20th-century model.” Readers of this blog know that I wholeheartedly agree that we are still dealing with an old, outdated model of higher education that is focused on higher education students who go from high school to full-time, on-campus study and remain financially dependent on their parents. The basic premise of “the other 85 percent” is that the reality today is 85 percent of college enrollments are adults, part-time students, students who are financially independent, and are not like those from the old model. But, despite Callan’s recognition of limitations, I question the amount of effort that Measuring Up has devoted to fully understanding and/or dealing with change in American higher education like that of cross-border online higher education programs.

Given my focus on adults and other part-time students, I am troubled by the findings in the report, as identified by Inside Higher Ed, that “increased enrollment among traditional college-age students (was) offset by declines in enrollments of adult students.” The report actually states that “most states declined in enrolling working age adults in college-level education or training.” This is identified as a trend dating back to the early 1990’s. This is most alarming at first read. But what Measuring Up seems to be measuring is whether a “state provides enough spaces and types of programs for its residents.” That would clearly miss enrollments in programs offered by colleges and universities other than that states’ public institutions. Given the significant growth of online enrollments in cross-border colleges and universities, particularly by adult students, and particularly since the 1990s, is it possible that what Measuring Up is reflecting is that adults are actually attending online colleges and universities other than their own state institutions? I think that is a distinct possibility.

And that is very troubling to me because Measuring Up is intended to shake up state policymakers. And it has in the past. But those same policymakers are facing demands to increase higher education attainment rates and develop their workforce while confronting huge budget challenges. But there is limited, if any, understanding of the current contributions made by online, cross-border programs and the even larger potential for states to work with these colleges and universities as they address attainment rates and workforce development issues. The opportunity exists to leverage these colleges and universities without having to invest state funds.

The work of Measuring Up is important – it does add value. I just hope that it does not add to the lack of visibility into the potential of online, cross-border institutions to help states to address their challenges. I fear that is exactly the impact it will have.

More to come on Measuring Up….

Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the comments section.

Mike

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.