Take it to the next level

CHALLENGE:

Outdated or obsolete policies can hamstring our state’s ability to build a world-class education system.

SOLUTION:

Review Idaho’s education policies and update them to support priority goals.

An audit of existing higher education policies can be used as a tool to highlight the disconnect between current policies and the state’s goals for higher education. It can also shed light on the policy areas in need of most attention and reform. Policy audits in both Tennessee and Ohio informed the development of the state’s master planning process. (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p25)

CHALLENGE:

Idaho’s education system can expect scarce resources for several years to come.

SOLUTION:

Implement funding formulas that reward progress and cost-saving/collaborative practices.

Finance policy, the most potent weapon in the policy arsenal, can be structured to create powerful incentives to improve educational productivity. Effective finance policies link institutional appropriations, tuition policies, and student financial aid policies. These policies, however, cannot be linked in intentional ways if states are unclear about their policy goals for increased educational attainment and how to achieve them. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p26)

CHALLENGE:

Only a small percentage of our population is highly trained, hampering Idaho’s ability to compete globally beyond this generation.

SOLUTION:

Develop policies that also target the untapped potential of Idaho’s working-age adults.

Though they hold tremendous potential, many adults in Idaho have not completed high school, nor do they currently have the academic knowledge and skills necessary for college-level work. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p9)

CHALLENGE:

Idaho has fallen behind in College Attainment, leaving many of our students unprepared for the jobs of the future. Currently only one in four Idaho high school students pass the ACT with a score that predicts they will not need remediation.

SOLUTION:

Support alignment of K-12 & higher education curriculum to close the gap between what high schools provide & what colleges expect. Tactics include:

Improving high school rigor, a primary strategy states have used to increase the likelihood that students will be ready for postsecondary certificate and degree programs when they graduate. The increase in state standards for high school and the common core standards that some states have adopted, and that many more are considering, all indicate significant attention to increasing the rigor of high school. In addition, some states have adopted a college and career-ready track for all students. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p5)

Advanced Opportunities —more than 40 states now have policies in place related to advanced opportunities such as Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and TechPrep, which allow students to complete college-level work for credit while still enrolled in high school. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p7)

CHALLENGE:

Effective policy relies on quality data, yet Idaho lags with regard to the 10 essential ingredients of a quality data system.

SOLUTION:

Support longitudinal data systems that provide transparency and promote policies that hold the education system accountable for measurable outcomes.

Investing in data systems to monitor student progress and completion is becoming a top priority for many states. Such a data system must be used in Idaho to drive policy decisions and be made available to the public in simple, understandable terms. A quality data system in Idaho would include strong links between Idaho’s higher education databases, K–12, and the workforce. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p35)

CHALLENGE:

College access has declined in Idaho. On of the main reasons is the cost—tuition has escalated as family incomes have flattened. As a result, more people feel that college is out of reach.

SOLUTION:

Support policies that enhance access to and affordability of college.

State financial aid programs [for example] were designed primarily to assist low-income students in paying for college. A policy approach that seeks to improve productivity in the educational pipeline might focus on more targeted forms of student financial aid. Learn more: (Good Policy, Good Practice II, Lumina Foundation, Nov. 2010, p31)

Learn about best practices, resources & sign up to receive updates http://www.jkaf.org (J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation).