WICHE: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

Monday, July 10, 2006

12.30 – 1.00 pm

Welcome and Opening Comments

Charles Merritt, Vice President of External Relations, Education Commission of the States
Sara Vitaska, Policy Associate, National Conference of State Legislatures
David Longanecker, Executive Director, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Kathy Hanlon, Co-Chair, Legislative Education Staff Network and Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Service Bureau, Iowa General Assembly

1.00 – 2.15 pm

View from the States

Policymakers and stakeholders often learn the most about emerging issues, including what issues states are facing and strategies for tackling the inevitable challenges to problem resolution, through direct conversation with their colleagues from other states. This interactive session will provide each state with the opportunity to share its experiences and perspectives on important issues related to the integration of higher education appropriations, finance, and tuition policy.

Facilitators:

Demarée K. Michelau, Project Coordinator, Policy Analysis and Research, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Christopher Wakeley, Executive Director, House Education Committee, Pennsylvania House of Representatives

2.15 – 3.00 pm

Longanecker presentation

Policies in Sync: Aligning Postsecondary Appropriations, Financial Aid, and Tuition

Regardless of the near-term economic outlook, some states will spend the remaining years of this decade recovering from the effects of the recent revenue and appropriation seesaw, and the attendant affects on tuition and financial aid. In this environment, state legislators and staff must learn to strategically deploy financing policy toward ends rather than means. This session will help participants think about ways to align policy to encourage educational outcomes consistent with the economic benefits and enhanced quality of life for a state’s citizens.

Facilitator:

Audrey Carr, Committee Staff Administrator, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky Legislature

Speaker:

David Longanecker, Executive Director, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

3.15 – 4.15 pm

Blanco presentation

Sherman presentation

Prompting the Reexamination of Education Policies: Changing Demographics and the Emergence of Adult Learners

Two distinct trends in the U.S. are prompting state policymakers to reexamine education policies and devise new ways to address emerging issues. These two developments are significant demographic shifts in the states and the emerging necessity of serving adult learners. This session will draw on projections of high school graduates produced by WICHE in Knocking at the College Door to explore some of the major findings related to high school graduates generally and to their racial/ethnic and family income characteristics as well as data provided by a leading national expert regarding adult learners. A discussion of implications for public policy will help inform conversations and set the policy stage during the workshop.

Facilitator:

Bruce Vandal, Director, Postsecondary and Workforce Development Institute, Education Commission of the States

Speakers:

Cheryl Blanco, Senior Program Director, Policy Analysis and Research, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Amy Sherman, Director of Public Policy, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

4.15 – 5.15 pmm

Longanecker presentation

Aligning State and Federal Policy: Effects on Appropriations, Financial Aid, and Tuition

State policymakers too often make piecemeal decisions about appropriations, financial aid, and tuition policy—resulting in a hodgepodge of disconnected policies that sometimes are in conflict. And federal policymaking rarely is created with state policy impacts in mind. This facilitated discussion will explore the intersection between federal and state policy decisions and how they can be better integrated to increase access.

Facilitator:

David Longanecker, Executive Director, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

6.00 – 8.00 pm

Dinner Celebrating LESN’s 20th Anniversary (Hosted by Education Commission of the States)

Moderator:

Bill Marx, Chief Fiscal Analyst - Fiscal Analysis Department, Minnesota House of Representatives

2006 LESN Recognition Award Recipient:

Phil McCarthy, Legislative Analyst, Office of Policy and Legal Analysis, Maine

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

9.00 – 10.00 am

Lenth presentations

Funding in a P-16 Context: An Interactive Discussion

States have been engaged in a policy dialogue about P-16 for years, yet discussions about funding in a P-16 context have been somewhat limited. This facilitated, interactive discussion will allow participants to explore and share strategies for how states might fund P-16 systems in ways that stop short of completely reorganizing their governance structures.

Facilitator:

Charles Lenth, Senior Associate, State Higher Education Executive Officers

10.00 am – 11.00 am

Pelegrin handouts

Sevener handouts

A Different Take on Tuition Policy

As states and their postsecondary education systems face increased financial and enrollment pressures, policymakers are entertaining new and different ways of addressing tuition. Colorado has adopted the first higher education voucher designed to improve access, strengthen accountability, and improve information to citizens and policymakers. Replacing traditional direct legislative appropriations to the state’s postsecondary institutions, all in-state undergraduate students attending public or private colleges or universities now receive a tuition stipend or voucher. Illinois, however, chose to adopt a “Truth in Tuition” plan in which each institution sets tuition levels that are fixed for four years. Learn about these two innovative tuition strategies and hear from colleagues about what is happening in other states. Also, see http://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/policies/tuition_guarantee_guidlines.asp.

Facilitator:

Julie Davis Bell, Education Group Director, National Conference of State Legislatures

Speakers:

Julie Pelegrin, Senior Attorney, Legislative Legal Services, Colorado
Donald Sevener, Director of External Relations, Illinois Board of Higher Education

11.00 am – 12.00 pm

Jones presentation

Bishop presentation

Early Commitment Financial Aid: An Alternative with Promise

Too many qualified low-income students do not go to college because they believe they cannot afford to, even though they may be eligible for sufficient financial aid. An early commitment of aid can provide a strong incentive for students to complete a college-prep curriculum and for families to encourage and support their children’s aspirations. This session will highlight two of these early commitment financial aid programs. Learn about the challenges and successes that each of these states faced and how these programs might work in other states.

Facilitator:

Doug Berg, Fiscal Analyst, Fiscal Analysis Department, Minnesota House of Representatives

Speakers:

Stan Jones, Commissioner, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Kim Bishop, Staff Attorney, Oklahoma Legislature

12.00 – 1.00 pm

2006 Goals


Meeting Minutes

Lunch and Business Meeting

Moderator:

Kathy Hanlon, Co-Chair, Legislative Education Staff Network and Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Service Bureau, Iowa General Assembly

1.00 – 2.15 pm

From High School to College: An Open Forum on Preparation

This facilitated, interactive session is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to explore issues related to high school to college transition. Topics may include default or rigorous curricula, aligning high school exit exams with college placement exams, or other policy areas introduced in the discussion.

Facilitator:

Janice Somerville, Staff Officer, National Association of System Heads

2.15 – 2.30 pm

Closing Discussion

Charles Merritt, Vice President of External Relations, Education Commission of the States
Julie Davis Bell, Education Group Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
David Longanecker, Executive Director, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Kathy Hanlon, Co-Chair, Legislative Education Staff Network and Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Service Bureau, Iowa General Assembly