Haycock's Bullet Points

KSN&C had a brief chat with Kati Haycock before her presentation. In a nutshell, she is concerned about the likelihood of NCLB reauthorization in present political climate.

EKU President Doug Whitlock introduces Haycock

Here are some snippets from Haycock's presentation:

• College-going is up in all sectors, but especially for whites. So while college-going is up for minorities, the gap between the rich and poor has grown.
• Low income students are less likely to graduate.
• Upper income kids graduate at 8 times higher rate. Is this a threat to democracy?
• Today's young folks are less educated than their parents..for the first time.
• We have turned the corner on closing gaps in elementary and middle schools but not in high school.
• Recent federal dollars have shifted toward more affluent students with reductions of pell grants which support poor students.
• More money has been channeled to non-need based aid.
• Colleges themselves - through the actions they take and don't take - contribute to this.
• Colleges have reduced institutional aid to low income students while increasing aid to affluent students.
• 60% of institutional support at 4-year colleges, goes to students with no financial need whatsoever.
• College results comparing schools with identical populations vary greatly.
• EKU graduation rate is low for 4year-1st year Frosh but has closed the income gap; males lag females.

"What we see in Georgia is

poor people buying lottery tickets

that go toward sending rich kids to college."

Roger Cleveland and Sherwood Thompson

Colleges that improve look at their data - and react.

• Schools that improve pay attention to their leading indicators.
• Lack of available course sections stalls too many students, frustrates them and some drop out.
• Pay attention to details...especially attendance.
• Pay attention to introductory courses...big enrollments that serve high percentage of students.
• Successful schools bring back the students they lose.
• Leaders make sure student success is a priority.
• Assign clear responsibility for student success.
• Do not hesitate to demand and require what students need to do.

Jim Rinehart (center) with Billy Thames and Bob Biggin (back right)