MEASURING UP 2004 THE STATE REPORT CARD ON HIGHER EDUCATION OKLAHOMA WHAT IS MEASURING UP? This state report card is derived from Measuring Up 2004, the that the state’s population has attained. For more information national report card for higher education. Its purpose is to provide about this, see page 12 of this state report card. the public and policymakers with information to assess and In four of the performance categories—preparation, participation, improve postsecondary education in each state. Measuring Up completion, and benefits—grades are calculated by comparing 2004is the third in a series of biennial report cards. each state’s current performance to that of the best-performing Measuring Up 2004evaluates states on their performance in states. This provides a basis for assessing and comparing each higher education because it is the states that are primarily respon- state’s performance in the national context and encourages each sible for educational access and quality in the United States. In this state to “measure up” to the highest performing states. report card, “higher education” refers to all education and training In the affordability category, however, the nation as a whole is beyond high school, including all public and private, two- and “measuring down.” That is, even in the best-performing states, four-year, for-profit and nonprofit institutions. higher education has become lessrather than moreaffordable The report card grades states in six overall performance categories: when the costs of attending college are considered in relation to family income. As a result, grades in the affordability category (cid:2)Preparation:How adequately are students in each state are calculated by comparing each state’s current results to the being prepared for education and training beyond high school? performance of the top states a decade ago. This enables policy- (cid:2) Participation:Do state residents have sufficient opportu- makers to examine their state’s results in relation to other states, nities to enroll in education and training beyond high school? while also encouraging improved performance over time. A glance at the table of state grades on page 15 reveals that the affordability (cid:2)Affordability:How affordable is higher education for category is the only one in which no state receives an A. students and their families? Measuring Up 2004also compares each state’s current results with (cid:2)Completion:Do students make progress toward and its own performance a decade ago. Although this historical infor- complete their certificates and degrees in a timely manner? mation is not graded, it is offered to allow states to examine their (cid:2) Benefits:What benefits does the state receive as a result improvements and declines in performance. In gathering informa- of having a highly educated population? tion for this period, information from 1992—or the closest year available—is compared with the most recently available data. All (cid:2) Learning:What is known about student learning as a information was collected from national, reliable sources, including result of education and training beyond high school? the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education. Each state receives a grade in each performance category, and the (For more information about grading, data collection, and sources, grades are based on the state’s performance on several indicators, please see the technical report at www.highereducation.org.) or quantitative measures, in each category. Most states receive an This state report card begins by summarizing the state’s perform- “Incomplete” in learning because there are no common bench- ance today compared with ten years ago, and by presenting key marks that allow for state-by-state comparisons in learning. Five policy questions that these results suggest for the state. Next, the states, however, receive a “Plus” in learning to highlight their state’s performance in each category is described in greater detail, work in developing measures to evaluate the state’s educational followed by additional contextual information. capital—that is, the reservoir of high-level knowledge and skills A Snapshot of Improvement Over the Past Decade High school graduates are, in general, better prepared for college Completion:37 states improved on more than half of the today than their peers were a decade ago. However, most states, indicators; 9 improved on some of the indicators; 4 declined and the nation as a whole, have made little progress in translating on every indicator. these gains into improvements at the college level. Benefits:41 states improved on more than half of the indicators; Preparation:44 states improved on more than half of the 8 improved on some of the indicators; 1 declined on every indicator. indicators; 6 improved on some of the indicators. Learning:45 states receive an “Incomplete”; 5 states (Illinois, Participation:8 states improved on more than half of the Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, and South Carolina) receive a indicators; 23 improved on some of the indicators; 19 declined “Plus.” on every indicator. For more information about improvement, please see Measuring Affordability:2 states improved on more than half of the Up 2004: The National Report Card on Higher Educationat indicators; 31 improved on some of the indicators; 17 declined www.highereducation.org. on every indicator. 2 Measuring Up 2004 OKLAHOMA A Decade Ago and Today Oklahoma has made notable improvements over the past decade in Benefits preparing young people for higher education. However, the state’s (cid:2)Oklahoma has narrowed the gap over the decade between whites performance is weak in providing students with an affordable high- and minority ethnic groups in the percentage of adults holding a er education, which may undermine its efforts to send clear mes- bachelor’s degree. Nonetheless, the gap remains substantial. sages to them about the importance of being prepared academical- ly for college. Also, the goals of the state’s "Brain Gain 2010" initia- Weaknesses tive will unlikely be realized if current trends continue: for exam- Preparation ple, over the past decade, Oklahoma has had a substantial decline in the percentage of working-age adults enrolling in college-level (cid:2)A small percentage of 8th graders take algebra, and 8th graders education. Also, compared with a decade ago, a smaller percentage perform poorly on national exams in math, science, and writing. of students finish high school within four years; of those who do, a smaller proportion enroll immediately in college. (cid:2)Low percentages of high school students enroll in upper-level science. Strengths (cid:2)Small percentages of 11th and 12th graders take and score well Preparation on Advanced Placement and college entrance exams. (cid:2)Compared with other states, a large percentage of Oklahoma high school students enroll in upper-level math. This percentage has increased substantially over the past decade—more than the nationwide increase on this measure. (cid:2)The percentage of young adults who are from minority ethnic groups and who have a high school credential has increased over the past decade, as has the percentage of young adults who are from low-income families and who have a high school credential. Participation C – (cid:2)Over the past decade, the percentage of low-income young adults enrolled in college has increased. However, gaps remain in the C participation rates between low-income and high-income students. F Completion (cid:2)Relative to other states, a large percentage of freshmen at four- C – year colleges and universities return for their sophomore year. + C (cid:2)Over the past decade, Oklahoma has narrowed the gap between + whites and minority ethnic groups in terms of students completing certificates and degrees. However, this gap remains large. Improvement Over Past Decade Preparation Participation Affordability Completion Benefits Learning 3 Measuring Up 2004 OKLAHOMA A Decade Ago and Today Participation Policy Questions (cid:2)Relative to other states, the likelihood of 9th graders enrolling (cid:2)Can higher education improve partnerships with K–12 schools in college within four years is fairly low. A small proportion of to improve student achievement and preparation for college? students finish high school within four years and relatively few graduates go on to college immediately after high school. (cid:2)Can the state facilitate a timely transition to college for its high school graduates? (cid:2)A small percentage of working-age adults enroll in college. Oklahoma has one of the nation’s largest declines on this measure (cid:2)Given that approximately 14% of adults do not have a high over the past decade. school diploma or its equivalent, can the state encourage more residents to get a General Education Development (GED) (cid:2)About 14% of Oklahoma adults do not have a high school credential? diploma, making them ineligible to participate in college-level education. This fact, combined with a projected decrease in high (cid:2)Can Oklahoma develop policies to increase the likelihood of school graduates over the coming decade, makes Oklahoma success of "Brain Gain 2010"? vulnerable in developing a competitive workforce. (cid:2)Can the two-year colleges be made more affordable, particularly Affordability for low- and middle-income families? (cid:2)Net college costs for low- and middle-income students to attend public two- or four-year colleges represent about a third of their (cid:2)Can Oklahoma provide more opportunities for working-age annual family income. These families earn on average $17,633 adults to enroll in college-level education? annually—among the lowest in the nation for this population. (Net college costs equal tuition, room, and board minus financial (cid:2)Can Oklahoma develop financial aid programs to meet the aid.) needs of qualified low-income students? Completion (cid:2)Compared with other states, only a fair percentage of freshmen at community colleges return for their sophomore year. This percentage has decreased over the past decade—more than the nationwide decline. (cid:2)A small proportion of students at four-year colleges and universities earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling in college. Benefits (cid:2)A small proportion of Oklahoma residents have a bachelor’s degree. Measuring Up 2004 4 PREPARATION 2004 Oklahoma 2004 Improvement Grade Over Decade Despite substantial improvement over the past decade, Oklahoma continues C– to lag behind many other states in preparing high school students to succeed in college. This year Oklahoma receives a C– in preparation. Graded Information OKLAHOMA Top (cid:2)Compared with other states, a large PREPARATION States proportion (49%) of high school students A Decade 2004 2004 in Oklahoma are enrolled in upper-level Ago math, but a fairly small proportion High School Completion (20%) (28%) are enrolled in upper-level science. 18- to 24-year-olds with a high school credential 84% 87%* 94% (cid:2)A very small proportion (9%) of 8th K–12 Course Taking (35%) graders take algebra. 9th to 12th graders taking at least one upper-level 35% 49% 59% math course (cid:2)Eighth graders perform poorly on 9th to 12th graders taking at least one upper-level national assessments in science and 22% 28% 41% science course writing, and very poorly on national 8th grade students taking algebra 7% 9% 35% assessments in math. 12th graders taking at least one upper-level n/a n/a 66% math course (cid:2)Compared with their peers in other states, low-income 8th graders perform K–12 Student Achievement (35%) very poorly on national assessments in 8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on math. the national assessment exam: in math 17% 20% 36% (cid:2)Extremely small proportions of 11th in reading 29% 30% 39% and 12th graders score well on Advanced in science n/a 26% 42% Placement tests, and small proportions in writing 25% 27% 41% score well on college entrance exams. Low-income 8th graders scoring at or above “proficient” on the national assessment exam n/a 10% 23% (cid:2)Sixty-two percent of secondary school in math students are taught by qualified teachers, Number of scores in the top 20% nationally on which is only average compared with SAT/ACT college entrance exam per 1,000 high 118 139 227 top-performing states. school graduates Number of scores that are 3 or higher on an Change in Graded Measures Advanced Placement subject test per 1,000 high 29 89 219 school juniors and seniors (cid:2)Over the past decade, the proportions of high school students enrolled in upper- Teacher Quality (10%) level math and science have increased 7th to 12th graders taught by teachers with substantially. However, Oklahoma’s a major in their subject 53% 62% 81% current performance on the science measure is fairly low compared with *Eighty-two percent of 18- to 24-year-olds have a regular high school diploma; 5% have a GED. other states. Note: Indicators in italics are new for 2004. 5 Measuring Up 2004 PREPARATION 2004 Oklahoma (cid:2)The proportions of 11th and 12th (cid:2)About 20% of children under age 18 graders taking and scoring well on live in poverty, compared with a national Advanced Placement exams have rate of 17%. more than tripled over the past decade, although the state’s current performance (cid:2)Policymakers and state residents do on this measure is very low relative to not have access to important information other states. about 12th graders taking upper-level math because the state did not report the Other Key Facts data by grade level. (cid:2)Over the past decade, the percentage of young adults who are from minority ethnic groups and who earn a high school credential has increased from 74% to 80%. (cid:2)Over the same period, the gap in earning a high school credential has narrowed between young adults from high-income families and those from low-income families. The percentage of young adults who are from low-income families and who earn a high school credential has increased substantially, from 66% to 86%. The preparation category measures how well a state’s K–12 schools prepare students for education and training beyond high school. The opportunities that residents have to enroll in and benefit from higher education depend heavily on the performance of their state’s K–12 educational system. Measuring Up 2004 6 PARTICIPATION 2004 Oklahoma 2004 Improvement Grade Over Decade Over the past decade, Oklahoma’s performance in enrolling students in C higher education has declined. Oklahoma receives a C in participation this year. Graded Information OKLAHOMA Top (cid:2)Compared with other states, the PARTICIPATION States chance of Oklahoma high school A Decade 2004 2004 students enrolling in college by age 19 Ago is fairly small, because few students Young Adults (60%) graduate from high school and enroll Chance for college by age 19 39% 36% 52% in college. 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college 32% 29% 40% (cid:2)A small percentage of working-age Working-Age Adults (40%) adults (ages 25 to 49) are enrolled 25- to 49-year-olds enrolled part-time in any type part-time in college-level education of postsecondary education 4.4% 3.4% 5.4% or training. Change in Graded Measures Other Key Facts (cid:2)About 14% of the adult population has less than a high school diploma or its (cid:2)Over the past decade, the decrease in (cid:2)A decade ago, 15 of every 100 young equivalent, a rate that matches that of the the percentage of working-age adults who adults (ages 18 to 24) from low-income nation as a whole. are enrolled part-time in college-level families were enrolled in college; now 34 of education or training is one of the 100 are. (cid:2)In Oklahoma, 1,944 more students are sharpest declines in the nation. entering the state than are leaving to attend (cid:2)The state’s population is projected to college. About 10% of Oklahoma high grow by 12% from 2000 to 2015, almost school graduates who go to college attend identical to the national rate of 13%. During college out of state. approximately the same period, the number of high school graduates is projected to decline by 1%. The participation category addresses the opportunities for state residents to enroll in higher education. A strong grade in participation generally indicates that state residents have high individual expectations for education and that the state provides enough spaces and types of educational programs for its residents. 7 Measuring Up 2004 AFFORDABILITY 2004 Oklahoma 2004 Improvement Grade Over Decade Over the past decade, Oklahoma, like most states, has made no notable F progress in providing affordable higher education opportunities. This year Oklahoma is one of many states to receive an F in affordability. Graded Information OKLAHOMA Top States (cid:2)Compared with best-performing states, AFFORDABILITY A Decade families in Oklahoma devote a fairly A Decade 2004 Ago large share of family income, even after Ago financial aid, to attend public two- and Family Ability to Pay (50%) four-year colleges and universities, which enroll almost 90% of college students in Percent of income (average of all income groups) needed to pay for college expenses minus the state. financial aid: at community colleges 15% 20% 15% (cid:2)The state’s investment in need-based financial aid is very low when compared at public 4-year colleges/universities 15% 23% 16% with top-performing states, and at private 4-year colleges/universities 43% 56% 32% Oklahoma does not offer low-priced Strategies for Affordability (40%) college opportunities. State investment in need-based financial aid as 12% 16% 89% compared to the federal investment (cid:2)Undergraduate students borrowed on At lowest-priced colleges, the share of income average $3,060 in 2003. 14% 16% 7% that the poorest families need to pay for tuition Change in Graded Measures Reliance on Loans (10%) (cid:2)Over the past decade, the share of Average loan amount that undergraduate students $2,619 $3,060 $2,619 borrow each year income needed to pay for college expens- es after financial aid has increased from Note: In the affordability category, the lower the figures the better the performance for all indicators except for 15% to 20% at community colleges and “State investment in need-based financial aid.” from 15% to 23% at public four-year institutions. Other Key Facts (cid:2)In Oklahoma, 37% of students are enrolled in community colleges and 50% in public four-year colleges and universities. The affordability category measures whether students and families can afford to pay for higher education, given income levels, financial aid, and the types of colleges and universities in the state. Measuring Up 2004 8 AFFORDABILITY 2004 Oklahoma Community Public 4-year Private 4-year colleges colleges/universities colleges/universities A CLOSER LOOK AT Average Percent Percent Percent family of income of income of income FAMILY ABILITY TO PAY Net Net Net income needed to needed to needed to college college college pay net pay net pay net cost* cost* cost* college college college cost cost cost Income groups used to calculate 2004 family ability to pay 20% of the population with the lowest income $10,500 $4,977 47% $5,465 52% $14,612 139% 20% of the population with lower-middle income $24,766 $5,616 23% $6,192 25% $14,874 60% 20% of the population with middle income $39,010 $6,003 15% $6,969 18% $14,897 38% 20% of the population with upper-middle income $60,000 $6,123 10% $7,314 12% $14,947 25% 20% of the population with the highest income $101,936 $6,129 6% $7,391 7% $15,790 15% 40% of the population with the lowest income $17,633 $5,296 30% $5,828 33% $14,743 84% *Net college cost equals tuition, room, and board, minus financial aid. Those who are striving to reach or stay (cid:2)If the same student were to attend a in the middle class—the 40% of the public four-year college in the state, their population with the lowest incomes— net cost to attend college would represent earn on average $17,633 each year. about 33% of their income annually: (cid:2)If a student from such a family were to Tuition, room, and board: $7,735 attend a community college in the state, Financial aid received: –$1,907 their net cost to attend college would Net college cost: $5,828 represent about 30% of their income annually: Percent of income: 33% Tuition, room, and board: $6,181 Note Financial aid received: –$ 885 The numbers shown for tuition, room, Net college cost: $5,296 and board minus financial aid may not exactly equal net college cost due to Percent of income: 30% rounding. 9 Measuring Up 2004 COMPLETION 2004 Oklahoma 2004 Improvement Grade Over Decade In Oklahoma, over the past decade, a substantially larger proportion of C– students earned a certificate or degree in a timely manner. Despite that progress, Oklahoma receives a C– in completion this year. Graded Information OKLAHOMA Top (cid:2)Compared with other states, only a COMPLETION fair percentage of first-year students in A Decade States community colleges return for their Ago 2004 2004 second year. Persistence (20%) (cid:2)However, a large percentage (71%) of 1st year community college students returning 49% 46% 63% freshmen at four-year colleges and uni- their second year versities return for their sophomore year. Freshmen at 4-year colleges/universities 69% 71% 84% returning their sophomore year (cid:2)A small percentage (41%) of first-time, Completion (80%) full-time college students complete a First-time, full-time students completing a bachelor’s degree within six years of bachelor’s degree within 6 years of college 37% 41% 64% entering college. entrance Certificates, degrees, and diplomas awarded (cid:2)Only a fair proportion of students at all colleges and universities per 100 14 15 21 complete certificates and degrees relative undergraduate students to the number enrolled. Change in Graded Measures Other Key Facts (cid:2)Over the past decade, the percentage (cid:2)Over the past decade, Oklahoma has of first-year community college students made progress in narrowing the gaps returning for their second year has between whites and all minority ethnic decreased. groups in the proportion of students completing certificates and degrees relative (cid:2)During the past few years, the state to the number enrolled. In particular, has seen an increase in the percentage the number of Native American students of first-time, full-time college students receiving certificates and degrees has earning their bachelor’s degree within six increased from 11 to 13 per 100 enrolled. years of enrolling in college. Nonetheless, Nonetheless, black students are only three- Oklahoma’s current performance on this quarters as likely as whites to complete measure remains low when compared certificates and degrees. with other states. The completion category addresses whether students continue through their educational programs and earn certificates or degrees in a timely manner. Certificates and degrees from one- and two-year programs as well as the bachelor's degree are included. Measuring Up 2004 10