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News Update From the Council on Postsecondary Education
COUNCIL NEWS:

Council's funding request focuses on 2020 goals

The Council on Postsecondary Education approved its 2008-10 budget request Nov. 5, an aggressive first step of six biennial budget increases needed to achieve reform goals by 2020. The request, which recommends a funding increase of $174 million for Kentucky's postsecondary education institutions over the biennium, focuses on increasing college access and meeting state goals. Some of the signature features of the budget request include:

  • A Double the Numbers Degree Fund to reward public four-year universities for increasing bachelor's degrees and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) for increasing associate degrees and transfers to four-year institutions.
  • Funding to offset the costs of freezing tuition for two years at Kentucky's community and technical colleges.
  • $200 million to fund the Bucks for Brains program, which matches private donations with state funds.
  • Funding to implement the recommendations from statewide task forces on developmental education and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to accelerate improvements in each of these areas.

Kentucky colleges and universities beckon adults back to college

Kentucky's eight public universities, in partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, will pilot the statewide Project Graduate program to bring more than 11,000 former students back to finish their degree. Beginning in January 2008, each institution will contact their former students that have earned 90 credit hours or more with an offer of various campus incentives, which can include tuition assistance, application fee waivers, personal advising and simplified admissions paperwork. Response teams at each institution will ensure those who respond can take advantage of incentives and quickly navigate the admissions process. This effort is in support of Kentucky's Double the Numbers Plan, which sets a target to increase the percent of adults participating in college from 3.6 percent to 4.5 percent in 2020. Project Graduate is part of a statewide college access initiative funded by the 2006 General Assembly and coordinated by the Council. For more information, view the full press release on the Council Web site. http://cpe.ky.gov/news/releases/nr_20071126projectgrad.htm

Council receives $500,000 to make colleges more adult-friendly

In support of Kentucky's goal to Double the Number of college graduates in the state by 2020, the Council will receive $500,000 from Lumina Foundation for Education for a statewide effort to increase the number of working-age adults with college degrees. The Kentucky Adult Learner Initiative will include a statewide review of policies that affect adult students and will grant each public four-year institution $50,000 for plans to create or enhance adult-friendly policies and services. The multi-year effort will kick off at a statewide summit Feb. 4- 5, 2008, which is being held to examine national best practices in adult learning. After the summit, a workgroup consisting of representatives from the Council, the General Assembly, postsecondary institutions, state government agencies and the business community will begin to construct policy recommendations to address issues that affect adult learners. These policy issues could include financial aid for nontraditional students, data systems to track adult learners, student support systems for adult learners, professional development for faculty who teach adult learners and issues related to transfer. Based on the group's recommendations, the Council will work with postsecondary institutions to help implement institutional best practices. The Council also will present state-level policy recommendations to the 2010 General Assembly. For more information, view the full press release on the Council Web site. http://cpe.ky.gov/news/releases/nr_20071126lumina.htm

Bucks for Brains brings in more than $282 million at ten-year mark

According to a Council report released this month, Kentucky's Bucks for Brains program has resulted in more than $282 million in private gifts to public colleges and universities over the last ten years. The report, Ten-Year Anniversary Assessment of Kentucky's Bucks for Brains Initiative, shows the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have seen a 47 percent increase in annual giving and a $1 billion increase in the market value of endowment assets as a result of this program. The Council is requesting $200 million from the 2008 General Assembly to support the continued success of this program, which matches state funds with private donations to fund faculty positions, programs or scholarships. In the last ten years, Bucks for Brains faculty at Kentucky's public universities have generated approximately 17 percent of all federal research dollars at public institutions, 16 percent of all licenses/options and 30 percent of Kentucky's new U.S. patent applications. To view a brochure, visit the Council Web site at http://www.cpe.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CA48D119-0E78-41BB-9D05-1FFBBA0CF7C5/0/BucksForBrains10YearReport.pdf

Kentucky Center for Mathematics sees remarkable success in first year

The Kentucky Center for Mathematics at Northern Kentucky University has released statistics from the first year of its Primary Mathematics Intervention Initiative showing the program is highly successful in boosting math performance of young students. Last year, the more than 1,000 kindergartners and first-graders who received specialized full-time instruction from primary mathematics intervention teachers significantly outperformed their peers. Kindergarteners finished the year scoring higher than 64 percent of all students nationally, whereas their peers who did not receive specialized instruction scored higher than only 36 percent of all students. Equally impressive, first-grade program participants scored higher than 49 percent of all students. Considering that these students started the year scoring higher than only 7 to 8 percent of all students, the gains are dramatic. The Center for Mathematics was created and funded by the 2005 General Assembly, and the Council selected Northern Kentucky University as the host site for the Center in late 2005.

KYAE GED promotion cited as national best practice

The National Governors Association (NGA) has cited the KYAE-McDonald's partnership on its Center for Best Practices Web site. Earlier this fall, KYAE partnered with McDonald's of central and southeastern Kentucky for the second year in a row to encourage GED attainment in an innovative in-store promotion funded by the restaurant owners. During September, customers at 64 restaurants (represented by the Bluegrass Purchasing Association, a 33-county cooperative of McDonald's restaurants) saw tray liners and cups with a "GED - Prove Yourself" theme featuring Kentucky GED graduates. Many of the McDonald's stores also hosted in-store GED sign ups.

RESEARCH TOPICS IN EDUCATION

Building K-20 Connections

This issue brief from Blackboard Inc. examines the K-20 vision, successful models of cooperation and opportunities for involvement. Kentucky is cited as a national model for its work in this area.

Schools Need Good Leaders Now: State Progress in Creating a Learning-Centered School Leadership System

This SREB report calls for states to designate school leadership as a visible state, district and school priority, focused on the principal's role in leading schools toward higher student performance. It describes the progress that states should make to ensure that they have the learning-centered school leaders they need to succeed in the 21st century.

The Family: America's Smallest School

This report from the Educational Testing Service outlines the family and home conditions affecting children's cognitive development and school achievement and how gaps beginning early persist throughout life.

Ready to Start: Ensuring High-Quality Prekindergarten in SREB States

This report, a part of the SREB Challenge to Lead education goals series, reviews SREB states' progress in improving prekindergarten access and calls for a greater focus on quality, funding, teacher training and other actions to help all children get ready for school.

Achievement Trap: How America Is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students from Lower-Income Families

This publication from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation describes the unique higher education experience of high-achieving lower-income students, who too often are thought to be able to fend for themselves when the facts show otherwise.

State of College Readiness for Latino Students

This ACT report presents data examining college readiness among Latino students using the results from ACT's EPAS exam.

 

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