Some Next Steps for States: A Follow-up to Measuring Up 2000
| Title: | Some Next Steps for States: A Follow-up to Measuring Up 2000 |
| Author: | Jones, Dennis P. Paulson, Karen |
| Date: | 2001 |
| Catalog #: | |
| Price: | FREE |
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| Description: |
In autumn 2000, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (the National
Center) published Measuring Up 2000, the first state-by-state report card on higher education.
Using multiple measures, Measuring Up 2000 graded every state in five performance categories
related to undergraduate higher education—preparation, participation, affordability, completion,
and benefits. State grades in each of these areas were calculated based on the performance of the
best-performing states. As a result, Measuring Up 2000 provides each state not only with an
indication of its performance in five crucial areas of higher education, but also with a benchmark to which it can legitimately aspire; top performance is defined by a state’s actual achievement, not by some theoretical target. Several steps are required to bridge the gap between Measuring Up 2000 and informed policymaking—between the initial stages of issue identification and subsequent action. Overall, these steps include more robust, in-state diagnosis of the signals, and action to either ameliorate problems or build on successes. |