Editorial: Let’s act on report card for colleges

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004 | 9:21 a.m.

Nevada's higher education system is stuck in a rut -- the major problems of 10 years ago are still present. Too many students are entering their freshmen years ill-prepared. And too many students fail to obtain degrees within six years. So says the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

The group has given the state Ds and Fs on its past nationwide report cards. In its report card for this year, titled "Measuring Up 2004," the group gives Nevada credit for making certain improvements over the past decade. More students are entering college right after high school, for example, and more students are returning for their sophomore year. Nevertheless, the group once again handed us abysmal grades -- two Fs, a D, a C- and a C.

On a positive note, however, educators here are not reacting defensively to the report by denying its validity. Most of those contacted by the Sun's higher-education reporter, Christina Littlefield, said they were disappointed in the grades but not surprised. The report acknowledges the problems we face with growth, transiency and a preponderant service economy that lures high school students into forgoing college for relatively well-paying jobs. These conditions, however, cannot stand as an excuse for performing miserably year after year.

The state received Fs in the areas of students who complete college within six years, and for the affordability of our colleges and universities. We earned a D in the area of preparing students for college, with particular emphasis placed on the low performance of middle and high school students in math, science, reading and writing. We got a C- in the category of "benefits," meaning the state is missing out on the benefits of a more well-educated population. Our C was given in the category of "participation," which refers to the percentage of 9th graders expected to enroll in college within four years.

The report isn't perfect. For example, it suggests offering our Millennium Scholarships based on financial need instead of academic performance, a policy that would undoubtedly increase the number of college freshmen but lower our standards. But it serves as the basis for a worthwhile goal -- improving education at all levels.