national conference of state legislatures the forum for america’s ideas transforming higher...

NATIONAL CONFERENCEof STATE LEGISLATURES

The Forum for America’s Ideas

Transforming Higher Education: The NCSL Blue

Ribbon Commission



NCSL GoalsNCSL Goals

•To improve the quality and To improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatureseffectiveness of state legislatures

•To foster interstate To foster interstate communication and cooperationcommunication and cooperation

•To ensure legislatures a strong, To ensure legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal cohesive voice in the federal systemsystem



Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education

Bipartisan commission appointed in 2005Bipartisan commission appointed in 2005

Generous support from the Lumina Generous support from the Lumina Foundation for EducationFoundation for Education

Met over 18 months to:Met over 18 months to:– Study higher ed performanceStudy higher ed performance– Challenges facing states, students, and Challenges facing states, students, and

institutionsinstitutions– Legislative role in both creating problems Legislative role in both creating problems

and leading to future solutionsand leading to future solutions



Commission's Report

Released October 2006Released October 2006 Calls on legislators to:Calls on legislators to:

– Learn how past actions Learn how past actions contributed to current contributed to current problemsproblems

– Make higher ed a priorityMake higher ed a priority– Rethink policy as part of Rethink policy as part of

economic developmenteconomic development– Improve knowledge and Improve knowledge and

information about issues and information about issues and solutionssolutions

– Take active steps to move Take active steps to move state forwardstate forward



Report Context

Knowledge-based economyKnowledge-based economy

U.S. falling behind Industrialized countries in U.S. falling behind Industrialized countries in higher education productivityhigher education productivity

Increasing focus on national and state Increasing focus on national and state commitment to higher educationcommitment to higher education

2005 SHEEO National Commission on 2005 SHEEO National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education: Accountability in Higher Education: Accountability for Better ResultsAccountability for Better Results

2006 Spellings Commission Report: 2006 Spellings Commission Report: A Test A Test of Leadershipof Leadership



Follow-up Briefs

Jan. 07 - The Changing World of Higher Jan. 07 - The Changing World of Higher Education: Is Your State Prepared?Education: Is Your State Prepared?

June 07 - Developing a Public Agenda for June 07 - Developing a Public Agenda for Higher EducationHigher Education

June 07 - Improving Higher Education June 07 - Improving Higher Education Performance and ProductivityPerformance and Productivity

June 08 - Sticker Shock: What's Driving the June 08 - Sticker Shock: What's Driving the Price of Higher Education?Price of Higher Education?

Sept. 08 - Education Strategies to Meet Sept. 08 - Education Strategies to Meet Workforce NeedsWorkforce Needs



A Public Agenda for Higher Education

Key recommendation from reportKey recommendation from report

Call to legislators to organize and lead Call to legislators to organize and lead discussions to develop and maintain a public discussions to develop and maintain a public agenda for higher educationagenda for higher education

Defining common interest; articulating Defining common interest; articulating statewide goals; setting focusstatewide goals; setting focus

Framework for higher education Framework for higher education policymakingpolicymaking

Set clear goals and expectations for Set clear goals and expectations for institutionsinstitutions



Setting a Public Agenda

ID state strengths and weaknessesID state strengths and weaknesses

Know demographic trendsKnow demographic trends

Determine structure to sustain agendaDetermine structure to sustain agenda

National Collaborative for Higher Education National Collaborative for Higher Education Policy recommendationsPolicy recommendations– Appoint leadership groupAppoint leadership group– Ground agenda in state needsGround agenda in state needs– Complete policy auditComplete policy audit– Meet with key stakeholdersMeet with key stakeholders– Report back, finalize agenda, assign Report back, finalize agenda, assign

responsibilitiesresponsibilities



State Example: West Virginia

Vision 2020: An Education Blueprint for Two Vision 2020: An Education Blueprint for Two Thousand TwentyThousand Twenty

SB 595 (2008)SB 595 (2008)

Sen. Robert Plymale (BRC member)Sen. Robert Plymale (BRC member)

Focuses on the role of education in economic and Focuses on the role of education in economic and workforce developmentworkforce development

Requires the State Board of Education, the Higher Requires the State Board of Education, the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and the Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and the Council for Community and Technical College Council for Community and Technical College Education (CCTCE) to each develop a master plan to Education (CCTCE) to each develop a master plan to be approved by a legislative committee. be approved by a legislative committee.



Vision 2020 continued

A list of objectives as the highest priorities A list of objectives as the highest priorities for public higher education in West Virginia. for public higher education in West Virginia. – state-level facilities plan and funding mechanismstate-level facilities plan and funding mechanism– increasing the academic rigor of institutions, increasing the academic rigor of institutions, – improving degree completion rates, improving degree completion rates, – recruiting more adults, recruiting more adults,

– encouraging emphasis on STEM fields.encouraging emphasis on STEM fields. Accountability system that will hold boards Accountability system that will hold boards

and institutions accountable for achieving and institutions accountable for achieving their goals and objectivestheir goals and objectives



Vision 2020 continued

EEstablishes geographic areas of stablishes geographic areas of responsibility for the state’s regional responsibility for the state’s regional universities and community collegesuniversities and community colleges (improve access for rural areas)(improve access for rural areas)

Statewide report card to be created by the Statewide report card to be created by the HEPCHEPC– Track program success and progress Track program success and progress

toward goals by geographic areatoward goals by geographic area– Will be utilized to inform education policy Will be utilized to inform education policy

making making



Current National Context

National higher education goals; lead the National higher education goals; lead the world by 2020/25world by 2020/25– Obama AdministrationObama Administration– Lumina, Gates FoundationsLumina, Gates Foundations– NCHEMS, National CenterNCHEMS, National Center

Economic and budget crises in the states;Economic and budget crises in the states; budget gaps into FY 2012 (projected)budget gaps into FY 2012 (projected)

Cuts to higher education almost universal Cuts to higher education almost universal among states; many times double digits among states; many times double digits (tuition hikes as backfill)(tuition hikes as backfill)

FY 2010 Highest Budget Gaps

as a Percentage of General Fund Budget

Rhode Island

Delaware

Source: NCSL survey of state legislative fiscal offices, April, June and July 2009.

5% to 9.9%, n = 51% to 4.9%, n = 5

Less than 1%, n = 1

More than 10% = 35Not applicable or not reporting, n = 5

Puerto Rico

Projected Budget Gaps

FY 2008 to FY 2012

Rhode Island

Delaware

Source: NCSL survey of state legislative fiscal offices, various years.*Includes Puerto Rico

Projecting 3 years of budget gaps, n= 17Projecting 4 years of budget gaps n,= 18*

Puerto Rico

Projecting 5 years of budget gaps n,= 4



State Economic ClimateState Economic Climate

The states are facing a "cliff" The states are facing a "cliff" once ARRA funding ends.once ARRA funding ends.

State governments will face State governments will face severe budgetary problems at severe budgetary problems at least 12-24 months after the least 12-24 months after the US recession ends.US recession ends.

Lawmakers' endurance to Lawmakers' endurance to resolve massive budget gaps resolve massive budget gaps will be tested in the coming will be tested in the coming years.years.



Public Agenda in Time of Crisis

2009 year of panic; 2010-11 must be years 2009 year of panic; 2010-11 must be years of strategic investmentof strategic investment

Tuition hikes running out of political steamTuition hikes running out of political steam

Public agenda important now more than Public agenda important now more than beforebefore

Institutional missions must be aligned with Institutional missions must be aligned with both state and national goalsboth state and national goals

National Imperative - State ResponsibilityNational Imperative - State Responsibility



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303.856.1415

national conference of state legislatures the forum for america’s ideas transforming higher...

Documents

public higher education

higher education performance

price of higher education

higher educationjune

role of education

state board of education

education strategies

education blueprint