A New Conversation: More Degrees for
the Dollars We Spend
Travis Reindl
Higher Education Conference on
Enrollment Management
Edmond, OK • February 28, 2008
The Attainment Challenge: Adults 25-64 with a
Postsecondary Degree, 2005
60%
54%
50%
53%
51%
50%
47%
43%
40%
41%
41%
41%
40%
39% 39%
37%
38%
36%
36%
35%
33%
30%
30%
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
30%
27%
24%
22%
22%
20%
18%
22%
17%
10%
10%
0%
Canada
Japan
Korea
SOURCE: OECD, Education at a Glance 2007
Norway
Ireland
Belgium
U.S.
Slide 2
The Attainment Challenge: Adults 25-64 with
College Degrees
60%
BENCHMARK FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS (55% )
50%
46%
40%
45%
37%
32%
2005
2025 ("business as usual")
30%
20%
10%
0%
US
SOURCE: NCHEMS
OK
Slide 3
The Attainment Challenge: Degree Completion
Rates, 2004
SURVIVAL RATES IN TERTIARY A (FOUR-YEAR) EDUCATION
100%
91%
90%
83% 83%
80%
68% 69% 69%
66% 67% 67%
64% 65% 65%
70%
60%
71% 71%
73% 74% 74% 74%
76%
78% 79%
60%
54% 54%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
SOURCE: OECD, Education at a Glance 2007
Japan
Korea
Ireland
Greece
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Turkey
Spain
Belgium (Fl.)
Germany
OECD Average
Finland
Switzerland
Mexico
Portugal
Iceland
Australia
Poland
Czech Republic
Austria
Hungary
Sweden
United States
New Zealand
0%
Slide 4
The Attainment Challenge: A New America
 We are getting older: Half the states will see zero or
negative growth in their 18-24 year old population
over the next 20 years.
 We are becoming more diverse: Groups
experiencing fastest growth have historically faced
the biggest educational hurdles (students of color,
working adults).
 We are leaving the snow and heading for the sun:
States in the Midwest and Northeast will have
excess capacity, while states in the Southeast and
Southwest will have excess demand.
SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, NCHEMS/JFF
Slide 5
The Finance Challenge: Per Student Spending
on Core Educational Services (2004)
$20,000
$18,000
$17,738
$16,000
$14,000
$12,000
$10,265
$10,000
$7,664
$8,000
$7,596
$7,445
$6,953
$6,105
$6,000
$4,000
$2,000
$United States
Norway
OECD
Average
SOURCE: OECD, Education at a Glance 2007
Belgium
Ireland
EU Average
Korea
Slide 6
The Finance Challenge: Short and Long Term
Fiscal Squeeze
 Short Term: Looming recession spells trouble for
higher education budgets; several states already
planning cuts.
 Long Term: Competition for public resources will
intensify as the population ages, leaving higher
education vulnerable:
> Higher education’s share of state budgets continues
to fall, from 13% in FY97 to 11.2% in FY07.
> Every state faces spending commitments that will
outpace revenues.
SOURCES: NASBO; Rockefeller Institute
Slide 7
The Finance Challenge: Too Much on Price, Not
Enough on Cost
Association of Governing Boards Survey (2007)
QUESTION: Did you present expenditures per student (not tuition or room and board costs) to your
governing board at any time in the 2006 fiscal year? [all institutions; n=700]
42%
58%
SOURCE: AGB
Yes
No
Slide 8
The Political Challenge: A Worried Public
THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO SAY MANY QUALIFIED, MOTIVATED STUDENTS
DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH
65%
62%
60%
60%
57%
55%
50%
47%
45%
45%
40%
1993
1998
SOURCES: NCPPHE, Public Agenda
2000
2003
2007
Slide 9
The Political Challenge: A More Skeptical Public
OVER HALF OF AMERICANS SAY THAT COLLEGES TODAY ARE LIKE A BUSINESS, WITH AN
EYE ON MOSTLY ON THE BOTTOM LINE
5%
43%
52%
SOURCES: NCPPHE, Public Agenda
Colleges mainly care about education
Colleges mainly care about the bottom line
Don't know
Slide 10
Making Opportunity Affordable: Productivity
with a Purpose
 Multi-year initiative supported by Lumina Foundation
for Education and Wal-Mart Foundation, focusing on
three primary strategies:
> Building demand and leadership for a productivity
agenda
> Equipping the field with new knowledge and tools
–
Investing in Student Success
–
Innovation Portfolio
> Engaging states to improve public policies and
institutional practices
–
Opportunity Grant program
Slide 11
A Productivity Agenda for Higher Education
 Measure what matters: Develop transparent goals
and metrics aimed at producing more degrees for a
more diverse population for the dollars spent, and
report publicly on progress.
 Fund what matters: Reform state and institutional
budget and finance policies to provide real
incentives for serving underrepresented groups,
increasing persistence and completion, and building
capacity where it is needed.
 Do what matters: Change regulations, policies, and
practices to increase operational efficiency and
promote reinvestment in academic programs and
models aimed at increasing degree production.
Slide 12
For More Information
Travis Reindl
Program Director
Jobs for the Future
88 Broad Street
Boston, MA 02110
617.728.4446
treindl@jff.org
www.makingopportunityaffordable.org
Slide 13