Minnesota Measures report serves as state policy tool

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education released Minnesota Measures last month, a report on higher education performance results on 18 preliminary measures identified as important to the state. Findings will help guide higher education policy decisions around some measurable results. The following results are particularly relevant.

Key Indicator	Behind the Data
Minnesota needs more students, especially more diverse students, to enroll in college.
65% of 2004 Minnesota high school graduates enrolled in college immediately after graduation. In-state enrollment rates by race and ethnicity show that fewer students of color go on to college in the fall after their high school graduation as compared to their white peers: Asian 54% White 48% Black 41% American Indian 35% Hispanic 34% (Indicator 1A)	In 2005-06, 22% of Minnesota K-12 students were students of color compared to 14.1% of new entering college students in Fall 2005. Less than optimal enrollment rates of students of color can be found in all sectors of higher education except private career schools. Private career schools 23.6% Community and technical colleges 15.5% University of Minnesota 14.4% Private college and universities 10.1% State universities 7.7% Source: OHE Basic Data Series 2005
All Minnesota institutions need to do a better job of ensuring that students graduate.
In 2005, 36% of students enrolled in Minnesota’s four-year institutions completed a bachelor’s degree within four years; 57% completed within six years. (Indicator 1C)	There are benefits to students (in income) and the state when students complete their degree. Increasing Minnesota’s college completion rate by 1% for a single cohort of students would yield an estimated $250,000 in additional income tax revenue for the state each year. Source: MPCRF analysis, 2007
To remain competitive, Minnesota needs a highly skilled workforce.
Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are considered valuable in the new economy. Only 18% of total bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2005-06 by Minnesota institutions were in STEM fields. (Indicator 2B)	The University of Minnesota awards 28% of its bachelor’s degrees in STEM disciplines as compared to 16% at private colleges and 11% at state universities. Many other countries confer a significantly higher percent of bachelor’s degree equivalent awards in STEM disciplines (Korea, 40%; Germany, 33%; Finland, 32%; Japan, 28%). Sources: IPEDS, 2006; OECD, 2006
To remain economically viable, Minnesota needs a highly skilled workforce now.
36% of adults aged 25-34 have completed a bachelor’s degree. (Indicator 1G)	Minnesota institutions awarded 29,108 bachelor’s degrees in 2005-06. To replace retiring baby boomers and fill new jobs, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded must grow to more than 37,000 by 2015 (+3.5% each year for the next 8 years.) Sources: MPCRF, 2006; IPEDS 2006

The Minnesota Measures report points to areas the state must focus on to succeed. It also demonstrates that the members of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) are crucial to the state’s success. Of the 2005 high school graduates enrolling in a four-year institution in Minnesota, 37 percent chose a private college — more than either the state universities or the University of Minnesota. MPCC institutions also have a much higher four-year graduation rate than the public institutions. Excluding MPCC institutions from the calculation of the state’s postsecondary graduation rates would lower the state’s four-year graduation rate to 24 percent and the six-year graduation rate to 50 percent at four-year institutions. Read more about Minnesota Measures