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Job skills found lacking in public higher ed

Public higher education is earning more F’s than A’s when it comes to preparing students for the workforce, according to a recent report from the Institute for a Competitive Workforce. Each state received grades for four-year institutions and two-year institutions in four categories. In two categories — policy environment and innovation — each state was graded based on performance by state government officials. The report uses data from different sources from 2008 through 2012. Among the findings:

* At the four-year level, Washington, California and Florida earned the highest grades. The worst performers were Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana and Nevada.

* North Dakota and South Dakota outperformed other states at the two-year level.

* Florida was the only state to receive A’s at both the four-year and two-year levels.

* In all but three states, statewide completion rates at four-year public colleges hovered around 50 percent.

* In 17 states, fewer than half of first-time students at four-year institutions got their bachelor’s degrees within six years.

* Completion rates for two-year colleges are even worse. Just one state — South Dakota — had a statewide graduation rate higher than 40 percent, and 33 states had two-year completion rates at or below 25 percent.

* Just two states, Minnesota and Texas, received A’s for “transparency and accountability” among four-year institutions. Thirteen states received F’s. No two-year institution earned an A for that category.