Tuesday, August 30, 2016

West Virginia higher ed cuts raise concern with coal struggles - Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

West Virginia spends about $2,000 per student since 2008, in part, because of the state's declining coal economy and tax revenue shortages. Advocates are hoping that the proven economic impact of the state's public colleges — more than $2 billion— will make the case for why the state should increase educational access, but the numbers don't mesh with the state's low marks in educational attainment and measures of affordability. A retiring WV community college president says challenges to encourage higher education among high school graduates are even more difficult in the state's rural areas: “You are trying to entice them into a college education,” Glenville State President Peter Barr said. “And you know the importance of that college education. The idea that you would cut funding to higher education is — somehow — I really don’t understand that.” http://www.educationdive.com/news/west-virginia-higher-ed-cuts-raise-concern-with-coal-struggles/424888/