(FRANKFORT, Ky.)--Kentucky’s colleges and universities have made significant progress toward the goals of the state’s postsecondary education reform, according to a report released this week by the Council on Postsecondary Education.

The Council’s annual Accountability Report, which tracks the state’s progress toward the goals of the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 (HB1), shows that in the last year Kentucky improved  on 17 of 26 performance indicators, held steady on five, and declined on four.

In recognition of the 10-year anniversary of this legislation, this year’s report also provides 10 years of trend data, charting progress since the beginning of reform.

“Kentucky’s postsecondary education system has made great gains in the first 10 years of reform, but we will have to travel much further and faster to reach our goal of doubling the number of college graduates in the state by 2020,” said Brad Cowgill, interim president of the Council on Postsecondary Education.

While this year’s report shows considerable progress in many areas, it also highlights challenges ahead. In the area of affordability, the report notes that the percentage of family income needed to pay for college and the average student loan debt have steadily increased since 2002, despite a 9 percent increase in the state’s investment in need-based financial aid.

“College affordability for Kentucky families is a growing concern,” said Cowgill. “We all must work together to increase access and affordability so all Kentuckians have the opportunity to earn a college degree.”

The 2006-07 Accountability Report revolves around five questions that organize the Public Agenda, the system’s strategic plan for 2005-2010. Under each question, the Council has adopted performance measures called key indicators to track progress on two levels—the statewide level and the institutional level.

As the report shows, since reform began in 1997:

• More students are enrolling across the system. Undergraduate enrollment has increased 40 percent and graduate enrollment 20 percent.
• More students are graduating statewide Degrees and credentials awarded by Kentucky colleges and universities have increased 94 percent. There has been a 141 percent increase in degrees and credentials awarded to minority students and an 89 percent increase in degrees and credentials awarded in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
• Public universities are attracting more research dollars. Kentucky has dramatically expanded its research and development capacity, including a 109 percent increase in annual state, federal and corporate research dollars awarded.
• More college graduates are staying in Kentucky. Five years after graduation, 86 percent of 2001 graduates were still in the state, as compared to 73 percent of 1996 graduates.

In addition to decreasing affordability, the report notes other considerable challenges:

• Too many students are entering college unprepared for college-level work. 35 percent of incoming freshmen required developmental education in math, 29 percent in English and 22 percent in reading.
• An insufficient number of community and technical college students are transferring to four-year colleges and universities. While transfers have increased 11 percent across the system since the beginning of reform, the 4,486 transfers in 2007 is far short of the 11,300 needed in 2020. 

The full report is available on the CPE Web site at http://www.cpe.ky.gov/planning/statusreports/.

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Kentucky is in the middle of the most dramatic economic and social transformation in its history. Double the Numbers: Kentucky’s Plan to Increase College Graduates explains that increasing bachelor’s degrees is the quickest, most direct way for Kentucky to increase its economic prosperity. College graduates earn more, are healthier, create a more robust economy, and enjoy a higher quality of life. The Double the Numbers plan outlines five statewide strategies for Kentucky to achieve this ambitious, but achievable goal. While this effort will not be easy, the benefits of Doubling the Numbers will be felt by all Kentuckians.