USA Funds Grant Supports Research on Nevada’s Postsecondary Education Attainment Rates

USA Funds^® has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Nevada System of Higher Education to underwrite a white paper analyzing the issues behind Nevada’s low postsecondary enrollment. The paper also will offer policy recommendations to boost that enrollment.

The Institute for Higher Education Policy will release the report in December 2008.  

Increased population, decreasing enrollment rates
Nevada is the fastest growing state in the nation. While unemployment rates remain low and per capita income is slightly above the national average, Nevada, like many states, is experiencing increased growth in jobs that require at least some postsecondary education.

College enrollment among recent high school graduates in the state is low, however, as are college completion rates — especially for low-income and minority students — despite efforts by the state government to increase enrollment through the development of a state college and increased investment in financial aid.

“This project will allow us to look deeply into why our college-going rates have been steadily decreasing, even as financial aid and scholarships available in the state have increased,” says Jane Nichols, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, Nevada System for Higher Education. “Our best and brightest students are not continuing their education after high school, and we need to find out why and take the necessary steps to change this trend.” 

The study will focus on the Clark County area, which includes Las Vegas. Clark County is home to 73 percent of the state’s population. In that county only 44 percent of high school graduates continue their education.

Paper, symposium to address issue
The project will begin with a review of documents and quantitative data to understand the higher education context in Nevada, examine trends in enrollments and completions and identify specific demographic groups that are underrepresented in Nevada’s higher education system.

Researchers then will meet with state and local policy-makers, officials representing education for grades kindergarten through 12, and higher education officials, and other key groups. IHEP also will conduct a series of focus groups with recent or pending high school graduates who do not plan to attend college, as well as with current students at several NSHE institutions. In those focus groups, IHEP will examine perceptions of higher education and the labor market among young Nevada residents, and begin to address questions about why students in the state might not pursue college after high school, or for students who enroll in postsecondary education, why they might not complete a college degree.

Once the white paper is complete in December, NSHE plans to host a symposium to share the findings and discuss plans for next steps with higher education association representatives, public policy-makers and higher education researchers.

“We think our findings will help not only the state of Nevada, but could have an impact on other states as well,” says Nichols. “Like several other states, we are fast-growing with a large urban area, and we need to have an educated population to stay competitive in the future. Our hope is that this report will serve as a tool to help us change the academic environment in Nevada and other states in similar situations.”