Postsecondary degrees growing, missing goals

This from the Prichard blog:

Do more Kentuckians have certificates and degrees? Yes, according to CPE's new Accountability Report, but the improvement is not rapid enough more to meet the very high goals needed to "double the numbers" by 2020.

That's the news in a nutshell. But Susan goes on to list the highlights of the report. Go see.

CPE says,

On the whole, Kentucky’s efforts to increase the number of people with a college degree are paying off. Since implementing the postsecondary reform agenda in 1997, students are scoring higher on ACT, AP, and GED examinations, more are enrolling in college, fewer need developmental (remedial) education, and more are completing degrees and credentials. Colleges and universities have significantly expanded their research and development capacity and consistently produce graduates who perform well on professional licensure examinations.

This year’s report does include a number of areas where the system is losing ground. An economic downturn of severe proportions is taking a toll on college costs. Tuition and fees are rising, state appropriations are declining, and students are borrowing more to finance their education. This is a serious concern in a state where so many families live in poverty, and wage growth is stagnant...

The Commonwealth continued to make progress in many areas in 2007-08, improving on 16 of 26 indicators, declining on six, and holding steady on four.