Southern colleges struggle with enrollment and retention

Colleges and universities in the Southern portion of the United States are struggling to get—and keep—students enrolled in post-secondary educational institutions in the region, according to a new study. The Measuring Success by Degrees report, released by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), tracked the educational achievements of colleges in 16 states located in the lower half of the country. While the group scored similarly to the national average, Southern states chronically lagged behind the rest of the country.

For instance, the graduation rate for first-time college students entering school in 2002 and finishing by 2008 at four-year institutions in SREB states was 53 percent, compared to 55 percent at the national level. When it comes to two-year colleges, the graduation rate was 17 percent in SREB states; the rate was 20 percent for the country. Education experts say the data offers telltale signs about where the nation's education system is headed.

"We need more students in the pipeline from high school into college of various types to meet the work-force demands in the coming years," SREB President Dave Spence said. "Our region’s and nation’s future depends in no small part on helping more students prepare for and succeed in earning two- and four-year degrees and career certificates."

The study's findings also highlighted national education problems. According to the study, less than half of the ninth graders in SREB states have a decent chance of enrolling into college; this statistic is also valid for the nation as a whole. These findings come shortly after the release of SREB's report, "No Time to Waste: Policy Recommendations for Improving College Completion." SREB recommended that colleges and universities be more accountable for graduation rates and states create detailed plans for improving graduation rates. SREB also suggested that educators pay attention to absenteeism and poor math scores and use—and address—them as indicators of potential future problems. The group set a target goal of having 60 percent of people in each state aged 25 to 64 years attain either a high-quality career certificate or a college degree.