Spellings: Texas higher education could be improved

Austin American-Statesman

By Margaret Spellings

We’re at a critical time in higher education. More of our students must earn higher degrees than ever before. The United States boasts some of the finest institutions in the world and, further, by some measures, stands as an international leader. By other measures, however, there is cause for concern. Currently, only a little more than 50 percent of all students who start a four-year degree program earn their degree within six years. In Texas, it is even less.

Employers across the nation report that they are unable to find the skilled workers they need to sustain their companies and keep our economy internationally competitive. While the administration and philanthropic leaders are focused on increasing U.S. degree completion, there is a debate emerging about the value of higher education. States are trying to do more with less. At the same time, as college debt eclipses credit card debt in America, many students and families are wondering if higher education is worth the price of admission.

It is well past time for us, as a nation, to dramatically improve our higher education systems. Texas, like every other state, has room for improvement. But Texas can also take pride in its efforts to make higher education more effective, more efficient and a pathway to prosperity for graduates.

Just a few weeks ago, Gov. Rick Perry called for 10 percent of state funding for higher education to be tied to outcomes such as graduation rates instead of student enrollment — helping to ensure that more students finish, not just start, college. Texas could bolster the effort by setting goals for degree attainment that reflect state and local economic realities. By having a clear articulation and flexible credit transfer policy among state institutions, Texas can remove unnecessary obstacles and help improve completion rates for the estimated one-third to one-half of students who attend more than one higher education institution during their college careers.

Texas is a national leader when it comes to making higher education information available to consumers. Colleges and universities are too often reluctant to provide data that would allow students to compare performance across institutions, but Texas offers online “résumés” that provide information on costs, student success, and the percent of graduates who are successful at getting jobs for all the public, 2-year and 4-year colleges, universities, and career schools in the state. Such critical information helps prospective students make informed decisions about whether enrolling in a particular program or institution is for them — before they take on any debt. Moreover, access to higher education results helps business leaders identify which institutions are producing graduates with the highest quality education and the skills employers need.

Ultimately, improvement in higher education will require state systems and colleges themselves, as well as their overseers in state legislatures and governing boards, to take a hard look at how they spend public money, how they measure the quality of the education they provide, and how they can promote cost-effective student success. Texas has always been ready to tackle the tough issues in education, and I am confident Texas will do so again.