Measuring Up 2004: The State Report Card on Higher Education. West Virginia
Author: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Postsecondary Education,Comparative Analysis,Performance Factors,Educational Improvement,Educational Change,College Preparation,Enrollment,Access to Education,Paying for College,Student Costs,Academic Persistence,Time to Degree,Graduation Rate,Educational Attainment,Outcomes of Education,Education Work Relationship,Economic Impact,Academic Achievement,Achievement Rating,Educational Indicators,Educational Assessment

This state report card is derived from &quot;Measuring Up 2004,&quot; the national report card for higher education. Its purpose is to provide the public and policymakers with information to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state. &quot;Measuring Up 2004&quot; is the third in a series of biennial report cards. The report card grades states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation: How adequately are students in each state being prepared for education and training beyond high school?; (2) Participation: Do state residents have sufficient opportunities to enroll in education and training beyond high school?; (3) Affordability: How affordable is higher education for students and their families?; (4) Completion: Do students make progress toward and complete their certificates and degrees in a timely manner?; (5) Benefits: What benefits does the state receive as a result of having a highly educated population?; and (6) Learning: What is known about student learning as a result of education and training beyond high school? Findings for West Virginia include: (1) Over the past decade, West Virginia has made notable improvement in preparing students to succeed in college. Despite that improvement, West Virginia receives a C+ in preparation this year because other states performed better; (2) West Virginia, over the past decade, has made no notable progress in the proportion of students enrolling in higher education. The state continues to lag behind much of the nation and receives a C- in participation this year; (3) Over the past decade, West Virginia has made no notable progress in providing affordable opportunities for higher education. This year West Virginia receives an F in affordability; (4) Over the past decade, West Virginia has seen improvement in the number of students who earn a certificate or degree in a timely manner. Despite that improvement, West Virginia lags behind the rest of the country, receiving a C in completion this year; (5) Despite improvement over the past decade, West Virginia still does not reap many of the benefits of having a highly educated population. This year West Virginia receives a D in benefits; and (6) Like most states, West Virginia received an Incomplete in learning because there are no comparable data that would allow for meaningful state-by-state comparisons in learning. This report also includes additional information, questions and answers, state grades, and &quot;Measuring Up 2004&quot; resources. [For &quot;Measuring Up 2004: The National Report Card on Higher Education,&quot; see ED508096.]