CSG Director of Education Policy Pam Goins outlines the top five issues in education policy for 2013, including college- and career-readiness, assessment and accountability systems, teacher preparation, college completion, and funding for post-secondary education. 
 

Policymakers know America’s educational system must transform to significantly increase the academic achievement of all students. A high-quality education, including content mastery and real world application, is critical to prepare students for college and careers. In order to ensure student success, leaders must tackle these top 5 issues facing states this year.

It has been noted that an affordable, high-quality higher education system is the single most important means at our disposal to create opportunity for all Americans, regardless of background. Unfortunately, nearly half of all students enrolling in a four-year college with the goal of attaining a bachelor's degree fail to graduate within six years. State policymakers and postsecondary institutions are beginning to address the issues of student success and retention, but there’s much more work to be done.

It’s a tough world out there for young people looking to succeed in college. And for far too many of them, the education they received as children hasn’t help as much as it should have. “Obviously, global competition made this more urgent than ever before,” said Lucille Davy, senior adviser with the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Education Policy and Leadership. Davy was one of the featured speakers on a November webinar by The Council of State Governments—“Increasing Access to Postsecondary Education.”

States are turning to performance funding to increase the number of students earning a degree or certificate from a postsecondary institution, but it’s not a magic bullet.

States have funded universities and colleges based on how many students are enrolled. Performance funding takes all or part of the base funding and rewards schools doing well on certain goals—such as on-time graduations or the number of students earning a degree in science, technology, engineering or math.

Stateline Midwest

Starting as soon as this fall, the University of Wisconsin plans to begin offering courses through a new model of higher education that leaders say will transform the state’s postsecondary system. Students will be able to take online classes anytime and learn at their own pace — with credits earned based on competency rather than seat time.

Stateline Midwest ~ March 2012

Indiana college students are expected to save time and money under a pair of bills passed by the legislature earlier this year.

On Monday, President Barack Obama officially unveiled his budget for 2013.  As he spoke from Northern Virginia Community College, Obama highlighted the more than $65 billion in education funding focused on resources dedicated to transforming K-12 and postsecondary education to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to succeed in the future.