August 2008 Report: Task Force on Higher Ed Remediation, Retention, Graduation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The goal established by the Arkansas Task Force on Higher Education Remediation, Retention, and Graduation Rates (Task Force) is to design and implement policies that will enable 
Arkansas to meet the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) average percentage of citizens holding bachelor’s degrees by 2015. The SREB average is projected to be 27% by 2015. Arkansas is currently producing 11,186 bachelor’s degrees per year, and at this rate of production Arkansas will have 337,256 citizens with bachelor’s degrees, or 22.3%, by 2015 [Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE)a, 2008]. This means that Arkansas must increase the current production of bachelor’s degrees by 64% (7,098 more graduates per year) each of the next six years to reach the SREB average.
Arkansas exceeds many SREB states in the number of high school graduates who enter college. However, a greater percentage of these students subsequently fail to complete their higher education with bachelor’s degrees. That means the state funding and student tuition spent on higher education in Arkansas is used less efficiently than states with a higher rate of degree production.
The 15-member Task Force received testimony from and studied the recommendations of national and state experts. The Task Force reviewed the state’s current demographics and educational practices and looked to other states for models of best practices. From that work, the Task Force developed eight core recommendations to guide the state in undertaking a major shift in the state’s current educational attainment.
- Strengthening the Arkansas Education Pipeline
- Improving Preparation
- Decreasing Remediation
- Accessing Financial Aid
- Increasing Retention and Graduation
- Enhancing Funding and Governance
- Addressing Data Needs
- Supporting Economic Development
This report outlines the changes needed to ensure that the amount of remediation is significantly reduced, and that students who enter college are successful in attaining bachelor’s degrees. The report calls for the implementation of policies in FY 2008-09 that do not require legislation, as well as the enactment of legislation, where necessary, for FY 2009-10.
According to Act 570 of 2007, the Task Force will cease to exist January 1, 2009. At that time the responsibility for ensuring the recommendations of the report are fulfilled and the goal of the Task Force is met will fall to the Senate and House Education Committees in cooperation with state educational agencies.
There is much work to be accomplished between the publication of this report and December 2015. The cooperation of leaders in K-12 education, the Department of Workforce Education, the Department of Education, the Department of Higher Education, and the state’s colleges and universities will be essential in achieving the critical goal of reaching the SREB average percentage of citizens with bachelor’s degrees.
Click here to view the full report.
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