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The Status of Post-Secondary Education in Spartanburg County

An Evaluation of Goal 2 of 10

The Status of Post-Secondary Education in Spartanburg County


Spartanburg Community Indicators Project

A collaboration of:The Spartanburg County Foundation

United Way of the Piedmont Spartanburg County Government

The University of South Carolina Upstate

Data collected and prepared by:Kathleen Brady, PhD – MSI Director

Metropolitan Studies Institute at The University of South Carolina Upstate, © 2008

The Spartanburg Community Indicators Project grants permission to individuals, public agencies, community groups, and nonprofit organizations to use, copy and distribute this work for non-commercial purposes, provided that any use, reproduction or distribution of this work or any portion thereof is attributed to the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project and the original work. Use of this work for commercial purposes, including distribution and copying of this work by for-profit entities, is prohibited without prior written consent of the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project.

© 2008 Spartanburg Community Indicators Project

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A Letter to the CommunityAs collaborators of the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project; The Spartanburg County Foundation, United Way of the Piedmont, Spartanburg County Government, and The University of South Carolina Upstate are pleased to provide you an in-depth assessment of Indicator Goal 2. Produced by the Metropolitan Studies Institute (MSI) of The University of South Carolina Upstate, this document builds upon previous Community Indicator reports by providing a quantitative, comprehensive examination of Indicator Goal 2: “Our citizens will obtain the degrees and training to equip them to compete in a knowledge-based workforce.”

The information contained in this report is informed by the many subject matter experts in our community who infl uence the achievement of the goal. Please take the opportunity to review this information and consider its observations relative to equipping the citizens of our County with competitive degrees and training. In the coming months, community discussions focused on the fi ndings of this report will be initiated. At these meetings you will be asked to not only contribute your commentary but also to help engage the appropriate action in response to the data and discussion.

This report could not have been accomplished without support from all of the community partners, funders, and experts in our community who commit the time and effort to advance understanding of the issues that affect our County. We would also like to thank Dr. Kathleen Brady at the Metropolitan Studies Institute of The University of South Carolina Upstate for her work to produce this report. This document represents more than just data. It represents a fundamental advancement in our Community Indicator effort. Valid, objective data underpinning discussion of issues in our community profi ts us all. A report for each Indicator goal will be produced by the MSI so that our community remains fully informed of the measures that refl ect upon our progress. These reports are provided for the community in an effort to inspire dialogue, strategy and change

Sincerely,

John Dargan Katherine A. Dunleavy President/CEO President/CEOThe Spartanburg County Foundation United Way of the Piedmont

Tom Gates John C. Stockwell, Ph.D.Assistant County Administrator ChancellorSpartanburg County The University of South Carolina Upstate

John Dargan Katherine A. Dunleavy

Tom Gates John C. Stockwell, Ph.D.

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Strategic Spartanburg GoalsGoal 1: Our children will excel academically through the provision of quality education.

Goal 2: Our citizens will obtain the degrees and training to equip them to compete in a knowledge-based workforce.

Goal 3: Our senior population will be able to live independently in so far as possible with necessary support from their communities.

Goal 4: Our families will be stable and nurturing.

Goal 5: Our citizens will be healthy.

Goal 6: Our citizens will have access to living wage jobs.

Goal 7: Our communities will be viable.

Goal 8: Our communities will be increasingly safe.

Goal 9: Our citizens will have opportunities for civic engagement that promotes well-being and higher quality of life.

Goal 10: Our citizens will manage our natural resources in a way that will support current and future generations.

The University of South Carolina UpstateThe University of South Carolina Upstate defi nes itself as a “metropolitan university.” It is a member of the international Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities; and, similar to the missions of its fellow members, The University of South Carolina Upstate regards its relationship to Spartanburg and Greenville and to the Upstate’s I-85 corridor communities as of fundamental importance to its purposes and future.

Our recent establishment of “The Metropolitan Studies Institute” as a regional research enterprise is a direct expression of that relationship.

As one of the fastest growing universities in South Carolina over the past 10 years refl ecting the growth of the Upstate, and enrolling the second largest number of South Carolina students among the State’s 10 comprehensive universities, The University of South Carolina Upstate aims to be regarded as one of the leading metropolitan universities in the Southeast.

For more information, contactJohn C. Stockwell, Ph.D.Chancellor, The University of South Carolina Upstate(864) 503-5200 or [email protected]

The Metropolitan Studies Institute atThe University of South Carolina UpstateThe mission of The University of South Carolina Upstate’s Metropolitan Studies Institute (MSI) is to support research efforts between The University of South Carolina Upstate and the community, enhancing relationships, promoting the reciprocal fl ow of information and ideas, assisting community and economic development, and increasing the strategic use of The University’s scholarship and outreach capabilities. The MSI engages in selected community-based research and assessment projects, notable among them the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project, and partners with community agencies to undertake program evaluations, needs assessments, feasibility studies, and data management projects.

For more information, contact:Kathleen Brady, Ph.D. – MSI Director(864) 503-5901 or [email protected]

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ContentExecutive Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 5

Strengths and Challenges ............................................................................................................................... 6

Demographic Profile ....................................................................................................................................... 8

Educational Attainment ................................................................................................................................... 9

Adult Education............................................................................................................................................. 11

Transience .................................................................................................................................................... 11

College Enrollment ........................................................................................................................................ 13

Admissions ................................................................................................................................................... 17

Retention and Graduation ............................................................................................................................. 18

Demographic Factors .................................................................................................................................... 21

Financial Issues ............................................................................................................................................ 23

Economic Implications .................................................................................................................................. 27

Local Retention of Graduates ........................................................................................................................ 31

Sources and References ............................................................................................................................... 33

Lists of Tables and Figures ............................................................................................................................ 34

Appendix I: Goal 2 Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 35

Appendix II: Draft Recommendations of the “40/30 Challenge” ..................................................................... 36

Appendix III: Initiatives to Increase Post-Secondary Degree Attainment ......................................................... 37

Spartanburg Community College ................................................................................................................. 37

Spartanburg Methodist College ................................................................................................................... 38

The University of South Carolina Upstate ....................................................................................................... 39

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Executive SummaryIn 2005, The Spartanburg County Foundation and the United Way of the Piedmont released Community Indicators VI: Strategic Spartanburg. The sixth edition was a culmination of many hours of discussion and research which has resulted in a community-wide project focused on the quality of life for all citizens in our community. Transitioning the data collection and assessment component of the Community Indicators Project to the Metropolitan Studies Institute has allowed for a more comprehensive assessment of the status of each goal, via examination of a wider variety of indicators.

Originally, the Community Indicators Project identified six indicators relative to goal 2, “Our citizens will have access to the education and training needed to compete in a global business environment.” In the current iteration, indicators for goal 2 have been added and deleted or broadened to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the status of post-secondary education in Spartanburg County. Additionally, goal 2 has been redefined in this report to state, “Our citizens will obtain the degrees and training to equip them to compete in a knowledge-based workforce.”

Each indicator is thought by subject matter experts, namely local college and university leadership, to be a useful and valid reflection of goal 2, providing assessment of the status of post-secondary education in Spartanburg County in as comprehensive fashion as possible. These indicators include degree attainment, local college enrollment and completion data, transience of graduates, economic implications, pertinent demographic data, adult education, tuition and fees, and financial assistance. This is the second report in the education cluster of the Spartanburg community indicators and follows the study of goal 1 pertaining to educational attainment for Spartanburg County’s children and youth, kindergarten through 12th grade, issued in August 2008.

Results of indicator analyses for goal 1 demonstrate that Spartanburg County schools are doing very well on most measures when compared to S.C. peer counties. Readiness, test scores and graduation rates are highest, or among the highest, of any of the peer counties. However, Spartanburg County students fall below their peers in continuing their education in post-secondary institutions, despite their demonstrated ability to succeed at this level. Additionally, for residents over the age of 25, Spartanburg has the lowest percentage of both high school and

college graduates of all its peer counties. Enrollment of Spartanburg high school graduates in two and four year post-secondary institutions has decreased over the last four years, although enrollment in technical college degree programs has increased.

The reasons for nonattendance and dropout in post-secondary institutions are numerous but are generally related to financial need, inadequate academic and social preparation, and insufficient information, guidance and encouragement to transition to post-secondary settings. A survey of 1,683 public school students from Spartanburg County found that they understand the necessity of a college education for personal success and that they would pursue such education if they found it to be feasible.

The causal relationship between low educational attainment and low socioeconomic status is widely accepted. This relationship is borne out in Spartanburg County where demographics indicate that the county has the lowest percentages of high school and college graduates, as well as the lowest per capita and household median incomes among peer counties. As an aggregate, graduates of Spartanburg post-secondary institutions do not stay in the county and there is low in-migration to the county, presumptively secondary to lack of high wage employment opportunity.

In the last six months, Spartanburg County leadership, in the form of a Task Force on College Degree Attainment, has undertaken study of this issue and has determined that an “education crisis” indeed exists in the county as a result of markedly low college degree attainment. This crisis threatens personal and family economic stability, as well as county-wide economic development and quality of life. Spartanburg data can be viewed as a reflection of a larger national education crisis that threatens U.S. innovative and economic pre-eminence. However, the evidence indicates that, if there is a national crisis, it is magnified in South Carolina, and if there is a crisis in South Carolina, it is magnified further in Spartanburg County.

It behooves Spartanburg, therefore, to capitalize on the success of its pre-kindergarten to 12th grade education system by increasing numbers of students who transition to post-secondary institutions and ensuring their success in those institutions. Quality of life, workforce and community viability issues dictate that a primary goal for citizens of Spartanburg County should be to increase college degree attainment.


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Upon examination of the data for each indicator and other data relevant to the status of post-secondary education in Spartanburg County, there are a number of positive findings. Primary among these are:

• Amongpeercounties,Spartanburghasthehighesthighschoolgraduationrate,thelowestdrop-outrate,andthehighest graduation rate for African American / black students.

• IncreasingpercentagesofSpartanburgCountyresidentsareobtainingdiplomasortheirequivalency.

• Enrollmentinpost-secondaryinstitutionsinSpartanburgCountyalmostexactlymirrorstheracialcompositionofthecounty.

• Post-secondarygraduationratesfromSpartanburgCountyinstitutionsareapproximatelyequalforblacks,whites and Hispanics.

• SpartanburgCountyhighschoolseniorsareawareoftheimportanceofcollegeeducationintermsofeconomicsuccess.

• ThevastmajorityofSpartanburgCountyhighschoolseniorsreportthattheywillattendcollegeiftheyhavetheopportunity to do so.

• EnrollmentofSpartanburgCountyhighschoolgraduatesintechnicaldegreeprogramshasincreasedconsistentlyoverthe last four years.

• SpartanburgCountyhasmoreinstitutionsofhighereducationpercapitathananyothercountyinS.C.

• ThecombinedeconomicimpactofhighereducationinSpartanburgCountyexceeds$250,000,000annually.

• AhigherproportionofgraduatesfromSpartanburgCountypublicpost-secondaryinstitutionsremaininS.C.thandograduates of comparable S.C. institutions.

• Since1996,S.C.hasbeenamongthosestateswithsubstantialnetmigrationgainsincollegefreshmen,resultinginsubstantial income for the state.

• NumerousinitiativestoincreasedegreeattainmentareunderwayinSpartanburgpost-secondaryinstitutions.

• AlocalTaskForceonCollegeDegreeAttainmentisseriouslystudyingtheissueofpost-secondarystudentretentionand degree attainment.

• In2007,oneoutofeveryfourcountyresidentsattendingcollegereceivedascholarshipthroughTheSpartanburgCounty Foundation.

Strengths And Challenges

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Assessment of the indicators also results in a number of negative findings or challenges for Spartanburg County. These include:

• SpartanburgCountyrankslowestamongpeercountiesandthestateandnationalaveragesforresidentsover25yearsold who are high school graduates and for residents who are college graduates.

• Spartanburgrankshighestforresidentsover25yearsofagewithlessthan9thgradeeducation.

• SpartanburgCountyistheonlypeercountywherein-migrationfallsbelowtheU.S.andS.C.averages.

• Inspringoftheirsenioryear,manySpartanburgCountyhighschoolseniorsarestillundecidedaboutplansfollowinggraduation.

• Thebiggestobstacletogoingtocollege,asidentifiedbySpartanburgCountyhighschoolstudents,isobtainingthefunding to do so.

• EnrollmentofSpartanburgCountyhighschoolstudentsin2-yearand4-yearcollegeshasdecreasedconsistentlyover the last four years.

• SpartanburgCounty2007highschoolgraduatesenrolledin4-yearcollegesata5%lowerratethantheS.C.average.

• Significantnumbersofpost-secondarystudentslosetheirLIFEscholarshipsaftertheirfreshmanyears.

• Although,amongcomparisoninstitutionsinothercounties,graduatesofSpartanburgCountyinstitutionsstayinS.C.atthe highest rate, these graduates do not remain in the county.

• Dataindicatethatthereislittle“draw”fornon-residentstomoveintoSpartanburgCounty.

• SpartanburgCountyisevidencingdecliningeconomicsuccess.

Strengths And Challenges (Cont.)


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SpartanburgCountycomprises819squaremilesoflandareaintheNorthWestquadrantofSouthCarolina.Itscountyseat,Spartanburg, is the most populous of the county’s cities and towns and is located centrally in the county. Spartanburg County has grown in population consistently each year since 2000, as have comparison counties and the state average population.

Spartanburg County can be compared to demographically similar counties in S.C., including Greenville, Richland and Charleston.ItcanalsobecomparedoncertainindicatorstoMecklenburgCountyinN.C.whichis75milestothenorthalong the I-85 corridor.

Table 1. Demographics of Comparable Cities(From the 2006 American Community Survey)

Spartanburg Greenville Richland Charleston Mecklenburg S.C. U.S.

Average household size (persons)

2.46 2.48 2.36 2.33 2.41 2.52 2.61

% residents over 25 who are high school graduates

79.3% 81.6% 87.4% 86.3% 87.8% 81.3% 84.1%

% residents over 25 who hold bachelor’s degrees or above

19.2% 27.1% 35.5% 36.1% 38.1% 22.7% 27%

% foreign born 5% 7.4% 4.6% 4.8% 12.7% 4.1% 12.5%

% in labor force, age 16+ 64.8% 66.2% 68.3% 64.1% 73.9% 63.1% 65%

Median household income* $39,694 $41,850 $45.370 $43,857 $51,945 $41,100 $48,451

Per capita income* $21,610 $23,926 $23,730 $28,551 $30,556 $21,875 $25,267

Families below poverty level 9.9% 10.8% 9.8% 12.9% 8.4% 11.9% 9.8%

Individuals below poverty level

12.7% 13.6% 13.5% 18.1% 11.3% 15.7% 13.3%

Median age 37.3 36.9 34.4 36 35 36.4 36.4

White 75.7% 76.2% 48.6% 63.7% 60.1% 67.3% 73.9%

Black or African American 20.4% 18% 45.7% 31.9% 30.1% 28.6% 12.4%

Hispanic or Latino 4.5% 6.2% 3.3% 3.3% 9.8% 3.4% 14.8%

* In 2006 inflation adjusted dollars

Demographic Profile

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In recent years there has been a national awakening in regard to a widening education gap between the U.S. and heretofore “underdeveloped” countries. In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the U.S. did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor’s degrees than the U.S., including six times as many graduates majoring in engineering (Friedman, 2005). AccordingtotheLuminaFoundation(2008),amongolderadultsages55-64,theU.S.hasthehighestpercentageofcollege degree holders among all countries ranked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; however,amongyoungadultsages25-34,theU.S.rankseighth. To close the gap in degree attainment to match the level of the highest performing nations, the U.S. would havetoincreasedegreeattainmenttoover30%ofcurrentlevels, equating to an additional 10,000,000 college graduates in the adult population.

InaspeechtotheNationalGovernors’ConferenceinFebruary 2005, Bill Gates opined that an American high school education is obsolete, as by the 12th grade, U.S. students score near the bottom of all industrialized nations in math and science. A college education has become a necessity if young people are to be minimally competitive in the global economy. This “education crisis” has begun to challenge U.S. capacity to innovate and, therefore, the country’seconomicandsocialpre-eminence.TheNationalCommission on the High School Senior Year (2001) concluded that “In the agricultural age, post-secondary education was a pipe dream for most Americans. In the industrial age it was the birthright of only a few. By the space age, it became common sense for many. Today, it is just common sense for all.”

Figure 1. Educational Attainment, 2006The data in Table 1 and Figure 1 demonstrate that, in terms of educational attainment among peer counties, Spartanburg ranks lowest in percentage of residents over 25 years of age who are high school graduates and lowest in percentage of residents over 25 years of age who are college graduates.

Educational Attainment


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In fact, as the data in Table 2 demonstrate, Spartanburg has the lowest ratio of residents with bachelor’s and graduate degreesandthehighestratioofresidentswithlessthan9thgradeeducation,ascomparedtopeercountiesandthestateand national averages.

However, when data for current graduation and dropout rates* are examined (see Table 3), it becomes clear that a higher percentage of students in Spartanburg County, as compared to peer counties, are graduating high school, and a lower percentage of students are dropping out of school. Among peer counties, Spartanburg County has the highest rate of black / African American students who graduate and the second highest rate of Hispanic students who graduate.

Table 2. Educational Attainment for Population 25 Years and Over, 2006

Spartanburg Greenville Richland Charleston Mecklenburg S.C. U.S.

Less than 9th grade6.8%

n=12,3886.6%

n=18,2253.6%

n=7.7954.8%

n=10,4014.3%

n=23,2596.4%

n=182,4216.5%

n=12,743,555

9th - 12th grade, no diploma13.9%

n=25,38111.9%

n=33,0589.0%

n=19,3388.9%

n=19,2707.9%

n=42,48112.3%

n=350,4849.4%

n=18,502,540

High School Graduate (including GED)

32.3%n=58,910

28.5%n=79,255

25.1%n=54,186

25.5%n=55,338

22.3%n=119,767

32.6%n=927,647

30.2%n=59,123,954

Some College, No Degree18.8%

n=34,18918.6%

n=51,60119.3%

n=41,62817.4%

n=38,49619.5%

n=105,11418.1%

n=513,90219.5%

n=38,185,678

Associate’s Degree9.0%

n=16,3577.4%

n=20,5417.5%

n=16,1997.0%

n=15,2698.0%

n=42,8097.9%

n=224,1537.4%

n=14,486,202

Bachelor’s Degree only12.2%

n=22,20218.7%

n=52,02821.2%

n=45,80524.0%

n=52,06625.9%

n=139,63014.9%

n=423,44717.1%

n=33,496,187

Graduate orProfessional Degree

7.0%n=12,765

8.4%n=23,255

14.3%n=30,742

12.1%n=26,230

12.1%n=65,212

7.9%n=223,690

9.9%n=19,394,708

American Community Survey

Table 3. High School Graduation, Drop Out Rates and Graduation by Race by County, 2007

Graduation and Drop Out Rates Graduation Rate by Race

HS Graduation Rate, 2007

HS Drop Out Rate 2000-2005

Black White Hispanic

Spartanburg 76.1% 2.2% 74.3% 79.6% 66.8%

Greenville 69.6% 3.1% 55.3% 77.4% 55.2%

Richland 71.1% 3.4% 66.7% 83.1% 70.6%

Charleston 61.3% 4.1% 51.8% 77.0% 47.4%

S.C. Average 70.9% 3.3% Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable

S.C. Department of Education*Although there is considerable controversy surrounding the calculation of graduation rates, within state figures are reported consistently; therefore, these rates are reliable, if not valid.

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A number of the County’s residents complete their education as adults by seeking high school equivalency via the General Educational Development (GED) test. The GED is actually a battery of five tests which, when passed, certifies that the takerhasAmericanorCanadianhighschool-levelacademicskills.TopasstheGED,testtakersmustscorehigherthan40percent of graduating high school seniors nationwide. Originally created to help veterans after World War II return to civilian life, now one in every seven Americans with high school credentials received the GED, as has one in 20 college students. In 2007,SpartanburgCountyadulteducationprogramsawarded354GEDcertificates.

Annual numbers of certificates awarded since 2003 are as follows:

• 2003 .......................... 386

• 2004 .......................... 272

• 2005 .......................... 314

• 2006 .......................... 293

• 2007 .......................... 354

It does not appear that there is an increasing trend toward obtaining GED credentials among the non-high school graduates; however, numbers are holding at a steady rate while graduation rates are increasing. Overall, therefore, a higher percentage of Spartanburg County residents are obtaining diplomas or their equivalency.

TransienceSpartanburg County has an intransient population, as natives tend to remain in S.C. and fewer outside residents move intothecountythanintoothercounties.ThedatainTable4showthatSpartanburgisthemostintransientcountyamongpeer counties and is more intransient than the state and national average. Therefore, educational attainment data are not confounded by residents who move into and out of the county. In fact, Spartanburg County is the only peer county where in-migration falls below the U.S. and S.C. averages on both measures.

Adult Education

Table 4. Transience, 2006

% Native Population Born in State of Residence

% 1 Year and Older who Lived in a Different State 1 Year Ago

Spartanburg 67.32% 26.79%

Greenville 55.59% 39.81%

Richland 59.16% 34.35%

Charleston 54.51% 39.81%

S.C. 60.79% 34.26%

U.S. 58.94% 31.10%

American Community Survey

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Taken together, these findings suggest that current generational cohorts of Spartanburg residents have begun to attain higher levels of education, at least in terms of graduating high school. This may be explained by the fact that, in recent years, low wage textile and manufacturing jobs have left the area and students may be more motivated to stay in high school and graduate in order to obtain more sustainable jobs. When low wage jobs were plentiful in Spartanburg County, the population may not have been motivated, vocationally, to degree attainment. Still, Spartanburg County apparently lacks the in-migration “draw” that characterizes other peer counties.

Notably,however,eachyearforthelasttwodecadesaboutoneincomingcollegefreshmaninfivestartscollegeinanotherstate.Post-secondaryEducationOPPORTUNITYreportsthatin2006,18.3%offirsttimecollegefreshmen,or357,251students nationwide, started college in another state, despite the higher costs of out-of-state or private tuition.

A 2007 survey of freshmen by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at UCLA found that the following “attractiveness” factors influence a student’s decision to attend a particular college:

• Goodacademicreputation ..........................63.0%

• Graduatesgetgoodjobs ............................51.9%

• Avisittocampus .......................................40.4%

• Offeredfinancialassistance .........................39.4%

• Schoolabouttherightsize ..........................38.9%

• Goodreputationforsociallife ......................37.1%

• Costofattendance.....................................36.8%

• Gradsgototopgradschools ......................34.1%

• Wantedtolivenearhome ...........................19.2%

• Rankinginmagazines ................................17.6%

• Informationfromawebsite ..........................17.0%

• Parentswantedmehere .............................13.0%

• Admittedearlyaction/decision ...................11.4%

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The median distance from home to college increases as parental income, high school grade point average, plans for degreeattainment,andcollegeselectivityincreases.About95%ofinterstatemigrationofcollegefreshmenisbystudentsenrollingin4-yearcollegesanduniversities,publicandprivate.In2006,therewere18states,includingS.C.,withpositivenetmigrationflowsforfreshmentobothpublicandprivate4-yearinstitutions.S.C.hadthe12thhighestnetmigrationoffreshmenandthe4thhighestnetmigrationoffreshmentopublic4-yearinstitutions,withatotalof6,793studentsfromother states enrolled in S.C. degree-granting institutions. (The net migration of freshmen to private institutions in S.C. is substantiallylower.)Since1996,S.C.hasbeenamong26stateswithsubstantialnetmigrationgainsinfreshmen,ranking22ndforthe1996-2006period.

In2006,eachout-of-statestudentinpublic4-yearinstitutionsbroughtwiththemaminimumof$26,304.Immigrantstoprivate4-yearinstitutionsbroughtwiththemaminimumof$33,301.Afteradjustingthesefiguresby120%toincludetherippleeffectstolocalandstateeconomies,S.C.benefitedbyanestimated$1.6billionfromtheseimmigrantstudents.TheshareofgrossstateproductofinterstatestudentmigrationforS.C.in2006was1.11%.

The relevance of these data for Spartanburg is significant. Although emigration and migration flows of college-age Spartanburg residents is beyond the scope of this report, further study would indicate whether Spartanburg County is realizing its share of the economic benefit of net student migration to S.C. It would behoove local colleges and universities, and the county, to examine their attractiveness to potential out-of-state students.

College EnrollmentAs has been demonstrated, the general migration to Spartanburg is low, indicating that there is little draw to bring new residents to the county. In part, this may be explained by the low educational status of the county populous. Even though Spartanburg high school students are now graduating at higher rates, they do not continue to post-secondary institutions. Therefore, it follows that Spartanburg County does not have a ready work force to entice high wage employers, nor does the county have available jobs to entice individuals seeking high wage employment.

Thenationalcollegecontinuationratefor2007highschoolgraduateswas67.2%,thesecondhighestrateonrecordsincedatabegantobecollectedin1959,andsecondonlytothepeakof68.6%reachedin2005.Thisequatesto1,986,000of2007highschoolgraduatesenrollinginadegree-grantingcollegeinOctober2007.Approximately43.1%of2007graduatescontinuingtocollegeenrolledin4-yearcolleges,and24.1%enrolledin2-yearcolleges.Since1973thetrendhasevidencedstronggrowthincollegecontinuation;however,growthslowedfromanaverageof.87%peryearpriorto1991to.32%peryearafter1991andslowedfurtherafter1997toanaverageof.02%peryear(Post-secondaryEducationOPPORTUNITY,191).

In2006,atotalof38,141S.C.studentscompletedhighschool.Ofthosecompleters,24,997(65.5%)enteredacollegefreshmanclass.OfS.C.studentswhocompletedhighschool,40.8%entereda4-yearcollege,3.6%entereda2-yearcollege,and21.1%enteredatechnicalcollegedegreeprogram.Ofthecollegeschosen,90.7%werein-stateand9.3%were out-of-state.

Transience (Cont.)

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Ofthe2006SpartanburgCountyhighschoolgraduates,64%enrolledinacollegefreshmanclass.Ofthe2006graduates,39%enrolledina4-yearcollege,19%enrolledinatechnicalcollegedegreeprogram,and6%enrolledina2-yearcollege(Figure2).Ofthecollegeschosen,91%werein-stateand9%wereout-of-state.

Figure 2. College Enrollment of 2007 High School Graduates, Spartanburg

None 36%

Community /Technical 19% Two-year 6%

Four-year 39%

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Table5illustratesthat,withinSpartanburgCounty,onlystudentsinDistricts6and7enteredcollegeatratesabovethestateaverageof65.5%.Further,onlystudentsinDistricts6and7entered4-yearcollegesatratesabovethestateaverageof40.8%andonlystudentsinDistrict6enteredtechnicalcollegesatratesabovethestateaverageof21.1%.

Table 6 demonstrates that, comparatively, students in Greenville, Richland 1, Richland 2, and Charleston entered college at ratesabovethestateaverage,andtheyentered4-yearcollegesandtechnicalcollegesatratesabovethestateaverage.BelowaveragepercentagesofstudentsinSpartanburgenteredcollege,4-yearcollegesandtechnicalcolleges.

College Enrollment (Cont.)

Table 5. 2005-2006 Spartanburg County High School Completers by DistrictEnrolled in 2006-2007 College Freshman Class

District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7Sptbg. County

Total High School Completers

247 488 200 145 349 590 382 2401

Total Completers Who Entered Freshman Class

153(61.9%)

256(52.5%)

102(51.0%)

81(55.9%)

135(38.7%)

529(89.7%)

283(74.1%)

1539(64.1%)

Completers who entered 4-year college

75(30.3%)

176(36.0%)

58(29.0%)

49(33.8%)

102(29.2%)

294(49.9%)

184(48.2%)

938(39.1%)

Completers who entered 2-year college

19(7.7%)

23(4.7%)

15(7.5%)

12(8.3%)

15(4.3%)

30(5.1%)

19(5.0%)

133(5.5%)

Completers who entered Technical College

59(23.9%)

57(11.7%)

29(14.5%)

20(13.8%)

18(5.2%)

205(34.7%)

80(20.1%)

468(19.5%)

Of students entering college, In-State students

143(93.5%)

240(93.8%)

93(91.2%)

79(97.5%)

123(91.1%)

490(92.6%)

238(84.1%)

1406(91.4%)

Of students enteringcollege, out-of-state students

10(6.5%)

16(6.3%)

9(8.8%)

2(2.5%)

12(8.9%)

39(7.4%)

45(15.9%)

133(8.6%))

Table 6. Percentage of 2006 S.C. Graduates Entering College

4-Year 2-Year Technical Degree Total

Greenville County 48.3% 3.4% 23.4% 75.1%

Richland 1 43.6% 3.1% 23.2% 69.9%

Richland 2 48.4% 0.1% 21.0% 69.5%

Charleston County 46.7% 1.3% 20.7% 68.7%

Spartanburg County 39.1% 5.5% 19.5% 64.1%

S.C. Average 40.8% 3.6% 21.1% 65.5%

16


Table 7. Percentage of Spartanburg County High School Completers Enrolled in College

4-Year 2-Year Technical Degree Program

2002–2003 41.9% 6.3% 12.6%

2003–2004 41.4% 4.7% 13.3%

2004–2005 40.5% 5.5% 15.7%

2005–2006 39.1% 5.5% 19.5%

S.C. Department of Education

ResultsofaSpring2008surveyofSpartanburgCountyhighschoolstudents(n=3,336)indicatedthat57.4%ofrespondentsplannedtoenrollina4-yearcollegeoruniversityupongraduation,18.3%plannedtoenrollina2-yearcollegeinpreparationforattendinga4-yearcollegeoruniversity,and11.8%plannedtoenrollina2-yearcollegeortechnical school to obtain an associate’s degree or certification.

Takentogether,thesedatasuggestthatsignificantlymoreSpartanburgCountyhighschoolseniorsintendtoenrollin4-yearand 2-year college than actually do. Conversely, significantly more seniors enroll in community / technical college than had plannedtodoso.Surveydataalsoshowthat3.2%ofSpartanburghighschoolseniorsplannottogotocollegeatalland5.6%ofthemarestillundecidedaboutfutureplansinspringoftheirlastyear.

Longitudinaldataindicatethatthereisadecreasingenrollmentin4-yearcollegesand2-yearcollegesamongSpartanburgCountyhighschoolgraduates,butthereisanincreasingenrollmentintechnicaldegreeprograms(seeTable7).

Fewer than one-fifth of the nation’s college students today meet the stereotype of an 18-22 year old living on campus andattendingcollegefull-time(NCHSSY,2001).Althoughanumberofreportsindicatethateconomicconditionsrequiremorestudentstoworkwhileattendingcollegepart-time,thedatademonstratethat35.9%of2007collegefreshmenwereemployed,comparedto40.2%in2006and43.4%in2005.Infact,the2007freshmenemploymentratewasthelowestsince1976andnearly10percentagepointsbelowthepeaksreachedin1998–2000(Post-secondaryEducationOPPORTUNITY,191).Althoughfinancialaiddollarshaveincreased,thesedollarshavenotkeptpacewithescalatingprices(LuminaFoundation,2008).After1980therewasashiftinlong-standingpublicpolicyawayfrombroadeningopportunityfor the citizenry to access post-secondary education to narrowly targeted programs for populations that had no financial need(Post-secondaryEducationOPPORTUNITY,191).Infact,theretargetingoffinancialaidhasbeenaccompaniedbymassive cost shifts from taxpayers to students and their families.

17


For various reasons, all colleges and universities, including those located in Spartanburg, admit only a percentage of students who apply. As a result, a student may not enter an institution to which he or she has made application, and admissions standards and funding issues may cause students to forgo or postpone college.

Enrollment in Spartanburg County post-secondary institutions ranges from several hundred students to several thousand students, depending on the institution (see Table 8). A total of 13,238 students were enrolled in these institutions, full or part-time, in fall2006.ThepopulationofSpartanburgCountyforresidentsages18–24wasapproximately23,000in2006;therefore,approximately58%ofcollegeagepersonsinthecountywereenrolledincollege,atsomelevel,infall2006.Anumberofstudents legally reside in other counties or states, and a number of Spartanburg residents attend out of county institutions.

Admissions

Table 8. Total Enrollment, Fall 2006

Undergraduate Graduate Non-degree

Converse College 756 1,225 10

Spartanburg Community College 4,278 n/a 195

Spartanburg Methodist College 779 n/a 17


4,574 34 91

Wofford College 1,273 0 6

Total 11,660 1,259 319

National Center for Education Statistics

Figure 3. Percentage of Undergraduate Applicants Admitted, 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% admitted

Converse47%

SMC75%

USCUpstate

70% Wofford58%

18


Retention and GraduationStudent retention at the post-secondary level is affected by numerous variables. A local Task Force on College Degree Attainment, comprised of leaders from local universities and other educational institutions, economic development, and industry, is seriously studying this issue. The Task Force has defined three component categories of individuals in SpartanburgCountywhohavepotentialtocompletecollegedegrees–“non-attenders”whohavegraduatedfromhighschool but have not pursued post-secondary education, “non-persisters” who begin college but do not persist to graduation, typically dropping out after the freshman year, and “non-completers” who are working adults with some college but who have not completed for various reasons.

Generally, the primary obstacles to access to and success in post-secondary education are unmet financial need, inadequateacademicpreparation,andinsufficientinformation,guidanceandencouragement(LuminaFoundation,2008).Indeed,a2008surveyof3,327SpartanburgCountyhighschoolstudentsreflectedtheimpactofobtainingfunding,deciding which college to attend, and parents’ attitude toward post-secondary education as primary factors in students’ decisions to go to college.

The Task Force on College Degree Attainment has found that if students successfully complete their freshman year and reenroll as sophomores, the odds are very high that they will graduate from college. At The University of South Carolina Upstate,approximately30%ofstudentsdonotpersistintotheirsophomoreyear.Persistenceratesarehigherforstudentsat Wofford and Converse Colleges. The graph below illustrates the percentage of full-time, first time degree / certificate seekingundergraduatestudentswhobegancollegeinFall2004andcontinuedthroughFall2006.

Figure 4. 2004 Freshman Returning to College, 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2004 freshmen returning 2006

Converse71%

SCC55%

SMC57%

Wofford89%

USCUpstate

65%

19


Nodataexistonthenumberof“non-completers”inSpartanburgCounty;however,theTaskForceonCollegeDegreeAttainment estimates this number to be in excess of 10,000. A significant number of individuals may have come within a few courses of earning a college degree or may hold an associate’s degree or technical certificate but have never pursued a bachelor’s degree.

National data indicate that:

• Full-timestudentshavehighercompletionratesthanpart-timestudents.

• Independentstudentsleavepost-secondaryeducationwithoutcompletionathigherratesthandependentstudents.

• Dependentstudentshavehigheroverallcompletionratesthanindependentstudents.

• About25%ofindependentstudentsareworkingoncertificates,comparedwith8%ofdependentstudents.

• Amongstudentswhoworkfull-timewhileenrolled,50%leavepost-secondaryeducationwithoutcompletingadegree withinthreeyears,while28%ofthosewhodonotworkleavewithinthreeyears.

• Amongdependentstudentsbeginningat4-yearinstitutions,thosefromfamilieswithincomesbelow$60,000left post-secondaryeducationwithoutcompletionathigherratesthanthosefromfamilieswithincomesof$92,000ormore.

Graduation rates for Spartanburg’s colleges and universities vary (for full-time, first time degree / certificate seeking undergraduates)fromahighof79%forWoffordCollegetoalowof15%forSpartanburgCommunityCollege(althoughmuch of the enrollment at S.C.C. is non-degree seeking).

Retention and Graduation (Cont.)

Figure 5. Graduation Rate for Spartanburg Colleges, 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Graduation Rate, 2006

Converse63%

SCC15%

SMC42%

Wofford79%

USCUpstate

36%

20


It should be noted that graduation rates are based on first time, full-time freshman cohorts who graduate within six years (150%ofexpectedcompletiontime)–studentswhotransfertootherschoolsarenotdeletedfromthecohort.Therefore,when considering graduation rates, it is instructive to consider also numbers of degrees awarded which, among Spartanburg collegesanduniversitiesatthebachelor’slevel,varyfrom116atConverseCollegeto867atTheUniversityofSouthCarolina Upstate 2005-2006. In 2005-2006, local colleges and universities graduated a total of 2,066 students.

Table 9. Degrees Awarded, Academic Year 2005-2006

Associate Bachelor Master Total

Converse College 0 116 203 319

Spartanburg Community College 400 n/a n/a 400

Spartanburg Methodist College 159 n/a n/a 159

The University of South Carolina Upstate 33 867 9 909

Wofford College 0 279 0 279

Total 592 1,262 212 2,066



National demographic trends show that most of the increase in the traditional college-age population is among racial minorities and students from low-income homes. However, studies have shown (Lumina Foundation, 2008) that these students lack adequate access to relevant and timely information about preparing for, enrolling in, and succeeding in college. The gap between the college continuation rates for all students and black students has been widening steadily from 3.7% in 1999 to 12.1% in 2007. The gap in college continuation rates between all students and Hispanic students, however, has narrowed from 20.7% in 1999 to 3.3% in 2007 (Post-secondary Education OPPORTUNITY, 191). Although national data show that college degree attainment rates are signifi cantly disproportionate by race, enrollment in Spartanburg County colleges and universities almost exactly mirrors the racial composition of the county.

Demographic Factors

Table 10. Enrollment by Race and Gender, Fall 2006

White Black Hispanic Male Female

Converse College 77% 10% 1% 12% 88%

Spartanburg Community College 67% 26% 2% 34% 66%

Spartanburg Methodist College 61% 34% 3% 55% 45%


59% 26% 2% 34% 66%

Wofford College 88% 6% 1% 52% 48%

Total / Average 70% 20% 2% 37% 63%


21

22


SpartanburgCountyiscomprisedof20%black,76%white,and5%Hispanicresidents.Collegeenrollmentis20%black,70%white,and2%Hispanic(seeFigure6).AsshowninFigure7,however,enrollmentbygenderdoesnotreflectthecounty composition as female students significantly outnumber male students.

Of academic year 2005-2006 graduates, blacks, whites, and Hispanics graduated at almost the same rate. The data indicate, therefore, that there is no racial disparity in college enrollment or graduation rates in Spartanburg County.

Table 11. Graduation by Race, 2006

Black White Hispanic

Converse College 64% 66% 33%

Spartanburg Community College 6% 19% 13%

Spartanburg Methodist College 49% 37% 71%

The University of South Carolina Upstate 36% 36% 42%

Wofford College 79% 80% 67%

Total Average 47% 48% 45%


Figure 6. Enrollment by Race Figure 7. Enrollment by Gender

23


A spring 2008 survey of 3,336 graduating students in Spartanburg County identified funding as being the biggest hurdle intheirdecisionstogotocollege(27.2%),followedbybeingacceptedtocollege(23.1%)anddecidingwhatcollegetoattend(22.7%).

Tuitionandfeesforacademicyear2006-2007forSpartanburgCountycollegesanduniversitiesrangedwidely.

However, many students receive some form of financial aid, whether in federal grants, state grants, institutional grants or other grants. In academic year 2005-2006, the following percentages of students received federal, state and local financial aid:

Financial Issues

Figure 8. Tuition and Fees, 2006-2007

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Converse$22,234

SCC$3,094

SMC$10,250

Wofford$26,110

USCUpstate$7,314

Figure 9. Students Receiving Federal Financial Aid and State and Local Grants

0102030405060708090

100

undergrads receiving federal financial aid

Converse24%

SCC69%

SMC45%

Wofford21%

USCUpstate

37%

0102030405060708090

100

undergrads receiving state & local grants

Converse53%

SCC80% SMC

71%Wofford

56%

USCUpstate

79%

24


Theaverageamountoffederalgrantbyinstitutionvariedin2005-2006from$1,738atSpartanburgMethodistCollegeto$3,647atConverseCollege.Theaverageamountofstateandlocalgrantbyinstitutionvariedfrom$1,950atSpartanburgCommunityCollegeto$6,900atWoffordCollege.

In academic year 2005-2006, significant percentages of students received institutional grants or loans to meet academic expenses, as indicated in Figure 10.

For a number of years, S.C. has been investing in several merit-based student financial aid programs in an effort to encourage more S.C. students who have performed well in high school to enroll in and graduate from the state’s colleges anduniversities.From2002-2007,$750millioninawardshavebeenprovidedthroughthePalmettoFellowsScholarshipsandtheLIFEScholarships.Infiscalyear2006-2007,4,846PalmettoFellowsScholarshipstotaling$31.4millionwereawarded.Inthesameyear,29,838LIFEScholarshipstotaling$134.3millionwereawarded.

Figure 10. Students Receiving Institutional Grants and Loans

0102030405060708090

100

undergrads receiving institutional grants

Converse92%

SCC4%

SMC93%

Wofford74%

USCUpstate

13%

0102030405060708090

100

undergrads receiving institutional loans

Converse48% SMC

39%Wofford

38%

USCUpstate

57%

SCC7%

25


Infall2006,therewere1,839collegeanduniversitystudentsfromSpartanburgCountyreceivingLIFEScholarships.Firsttimefreshmanaccountedfor751ofthesescholarshipsand1,088returningstudentsaccountedforthebalance.Ofthesestudents,1,567graduatedfrompublichighschoolsinSpartanburgCounty.

Apersistentissueofsignificantimpactonstudentretention,especiallyfreshmantosophomoreretention,islossoftheLIFEScholarship. A student must earn a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average by the end of each academic year in ordertoretaineligibilityforthescholarship;however,only43%ofLIFErecipientsearna3.0attheendoftheirfreshmanyear(CHE,2005).ForSpartanburgcollegesanduniversities,retentionratesforLIFEScholarshiprecipientsatthesameinstitution after the freshman year follows in Table 12.

Financial Issues (Cont.)

Figure 11. Freshmen Receiving LIFE Scholarships by High School

Spartanburg16%

Chapman7%

Chesnee5%

Broome8%

Boiling Springs16%

Byrnes12%

Dorman26%

Woodruff6%

Landrum4%

Table 12. LIFE Scholarship Recipients Retained Scholarship, Same Institution, 2005-2006

Freshmen Fall 05 Sophomores Fall 05 Juniors Fall 05

# Recipients Retained Fall 06 # Recipients Retained Fall 06 # Recipients Retained Fall 06

Converse College 68 51.5% 46 87.0% 48 87.5%

Spartanburg Community College

209 21.1%

Spartanburg Methodist College

214 29.4%


396 49.7% 185 77.3% 183 80.3%

Wofford College 105 54.3% 87 89.7% 73 95.9%

S.C. Commission on Higher Education

26


Clearly,themostprecipitousdropinretentionoftheLIFEScholarshipoccursafterthefreshmanyear.TheCommissiononHigherEducationhasconsideredreducingthegradepointeligibilitycriteriato2.75attheendofthefreshmanyearandincreasing it again to 3.0 at the end of the sophomore and junior years in order to allow for student adjustment to the social and academic rigors of college; however, the lack of a uniform grading scale for S.C. colleges and universities has been a barrier to this change.

ThefactthatsignificantlymoreSpartanburgCountyhighschoolseniorsintendtoenrollin4-yearand2-yearcollegethanactually do, and significantly more seniors enroll in community / technical college than had planned to, may be explained by the financial concerns reported by high school seniors and the lower costs at Spartanburg Community College.

In 2005-2006, S.C. ranked 33rd among states for enrollment of low-income students in college. This equates to approximately21.1%oflow-incomestudents.Thetrendofincreasedenrollmentoflow-incomeS.C.residentsincollegehasevidencedaslowbutsteadyincreasesince1992-1993.

It should be noted that many non-profit groups and agencies in Spartanburg County have recognized the need to assist studentsinachievingcollegedegrees.Ofthese,TheSpartanburgCountyFoundationhasbeenmostpersistent.Since1946,ithascommitted$2.4milliontoover1,000countyresidentsattendingcountycolleges.InadditiontotheFoundation’sowninitiatives, many individuals, organizations and corporations have established scholarship funds through the Foundation to supportstudentsinthecommunity.In2007,oneoutofeveryfourcountyresidentsattendingcollegereceivedascholarshipthrough The Spartanburg County Foundation.

27


TheBureauofLaborStatisticsreportsthat,overone’slifetime,earningsareincreasedby$1millionifonehasa4-yearcollege degree.

The personal economic stability that is engendered by post-secondary degree attainment is reflected in figures reported by Illinois State University (2008), that for a male in 2004:

• Ahighschooldropoutcouldexpecttoearn$20,000annually

• Ahighschoolgraduatecouldexpecttoearn$29,000annually

• Ahighschoolgraduatewithsomecollegecouldexpecttoearn$38,000annually

• Abachelor’sdegreeholdercouldexpecttoearn$52,000annually

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in South Carolina, in 2006, residents with:

• Lessthanhighschooleducationearned,onaverage$17,851

• Ahighschooldiplomaorequivalencyearnedonaverage$24,479

• Somecollegeoranassociate’sdegreeearnedonaverage$29,742

• Abachelor’sdegreeearnedonaverage$40,076

• Agraduateorprofessionaldegreeearnedonaverage$49,167

Although two-thirds of high-growth, high-wage jobs require a college degree, only one-third of Americans have one. Only one-fifthofSpartanburgresidentshaveone.While90%ofthefastest-growingjobsintheeconomywillrequirehighereducation,lessthan60%ofAmericanshaveanypost-secondarytraining.Lessthan47%ofSpartanburgresidentshaveanypost-secondarytraining.Nationaltrendsindicatethatworkforceissuesaredrivingadultworkerstopost-secondaryinstitutions for retraining and new opportunities.

Economic Implications

28


Table 13 illustrates that jobs in the highest paid occupational areas for Spartanburg County require a skilled workforce whose members have completed post-secondary training.

Table 13. 2006 Occupational Wage Estimates, Spartanburg Metropolitan Statistical Area

Occupation Mean Annual Wage Employment

Management $83,610 6,160

Business and Financial Operations $51,840 2,690

Computer and Mathematical Science $60,940 (not released)

Architecture and Engineering $68,590 3,360

Life, Physical and Social Science $54,230 750

Community and Social Services $34,100 910

Legal $70,640 480

Education, Training, and Library $38,580 6,230

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, Media $39,140 730

Healthcare Practitioner and Technical $62,010 6,410

Healthcare and Support $21,990 2,610

Protective Service $29,380 1,750

Food Preparation and Serving $16,570 9,610

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance $20,090 4,380

Personal Care and Service $20,250 2,120

Sales and Related $31,850 11,620

Office and Administrative Support $27,930 17,740

Construction and Extraction $31,080 5,160

Installation, Maintenance and Repair $36,220 5,630

Production $32,180 20,010

Transportation and Material Moving $26,960 9,940

29


The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce has reported that a highly educated citizenry is essential to success in future economic development and that significantly improved rates of higher education degree attainment must be the County’s number one economic development goal in the coming years.

Correlation analysis of per capita income and bachelor’s degrees for S.C. counties reporting these data for 2006 (n= 21 counties),revealsaverystrongpositivecorrelation(0.889,p<.001).Thatis,thereisaverystrongrelationshipbetweenhaving a bachelor’s degree and having higher income in South Carolina. This relationship is illustrated below in Figure 12, where the counties with the lowest percentage of residents holding bachelor’s degrees have the lowest per capita income. The positive linearity of the data is clear.

Economic Implications (Cont.)

Figure 12. Correlation Analysis: Per Capita Income by Bachelors Degrees

30


The economic stability of a community is correlated with the educational attainment of its citizenry. As indicated in Table 1, Spartanburg County has the lowest median household income and per capita income of all comparison counties, lower in factthantheS.C.andU.S.averages.Likewise,Spartanburgrankslowestinpercentageofresidentsover25yearsofagewho are high school graduates and lowest in percentage of residents over 25 years of age who are college graduates. The January2007U.S.MetroEconomiesReportissuedbytheU.S.ConferenceofMayorsindicatedthat,of361U.S.MetroAreas,Spartanburgwasranked295in2000-2007foraverageannualemploymentgrowthand238in2000-2006foraverage annual labor force growth. Further, Spartanburg’s Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) national ranking fell from 166 in2004to187in2007.Thissupportsevidenceofacorrelationbetweendecliningproductivity/employmentgrowthandlow post-secondary educational attainment in Spartanburg County.

The data indicate, however, that Spartanburg County high school students are aware of the importance of college education intermsofeconomicsuccess.Ofthosesurveyed,83.1%rankgoingtocollegeas“veryimportant”and11.2%rankgoingtocollegeas“somewhatimportant”tosuccessintheirlives.Lessthan1%rankgoingtocollegeas“unimportant”or“veryunimportant”(seeFigure13).Iftheyhadtheopportunitytoattenda2-yearor4-yearcollegeoruniversity,94.1%woulddoso.

Figure 13. Perceived Importance of College,Spartanburg County High School Students, 2008

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Very Important SomewhatImportant

Neutral

“How important is going to college to success in your life?”

Unimportant VeryUnimportant

31


Spartanburg County has more institutions of higher education per capita than any other county in S.C., and the combined economicimpactofhighereducationinSpartanburgCountyexceeds$250,000,000annually.Whenacommunityinvests its resources in educating a citizen, it is important to the community that it receives return on its investment. From 2000–2006,90.5%ofU.S.economicgrowthwasgeneratedinmetropolitanareas.Clearly,itbehoovesametropolitanarea economically and socially to retain its brightest and most well-educated citizens.

Thefirststate-levelmigrationstudyofpubliccollegeanduniversitygraduatesinS.C.,including4-year,2-year,communityandtechnicalcolleges,waspublishedinNovember2007bytheS.C.CommissiononHigherEducation.

This study tracked graduates using Division of Motor Vehicles records and found that, of 2001-2002 public college and university graduates:

• 68%remainedinS.C.asof2007

• 79%of“native”S.C.graduatesremainedinS.C.asof2007

• 71%offemalegraduatesand65%ofmalegraduatesremainedinS.C.asof2007

• 67%ofgraduateswhoreceivedPalmettoFellowScholarshipsand77%ofLIFEScholarshiprecipientsremainedinS.C.in2007

• GraduatestendtolocateinthelargercountiesintheUpstate,MidlandsandLowcountryregionsofS.C.

• AfricanAmericansaremostlikelytoremaininS.C.,followedbywhitesandthenbyHispanics

This study also found that graduates earning certificates, diplomas or associate‘s degrees are more likely to remain in S.C. than those earning bachelor’s degrees. Bachelor’s degree recipients are more likely to remain than master’s degree recipients,andmaster’sdegreerecipientsaremorelikelytoremainthandoctoraldegreerecipients.Comparedtoa1996-1997cohort,therewasnosignificantdifferenceinfindings.

When disaggregated by institution, the data indicate that, for all degree recipients, greater proportions of graduates from The University of South Carolina Upstate remain in S.C. than graduates of its comparable institutions, The Citadel and College of Charleston. Further, greater proportions of Spartanburg Community College graduates remain in S.C. than graduates of GreenvilleTechnicalCollegeandMidlandsTechnicalCollege,itscomparableinstitutions(seeTable14).

Local Retention of Graduates

Table 14. Graduates of S.C. Public Institutions Living in S.C.

1996-1997 Graduates 2001-2002 Graduates

The Citadel 56% 55%

College of Charleston 58% 54%

The University of South Carolina Upstate 83% 78%

Greenville Tech 84% 82%

Midlands Tech 86% 83%

Trident Tech 76% 80%

Spartanburg Community College 89% 88%


32


Although a higher proportion of The University of South Carolina Upstate and Spartanburg Community College graduates remain in S.C., they do not remain in Spartanburg County at rates of comparable institutions in peer counties (Table 15). (Although data for independent institutions are not included, the preponderance of all graduates is from public institutions.) This phenomenon provides ground for further study.

The exodus of college graduates from Spartanburg County may explain, in part, the fact that Spartanburg County has the highest median population age of all peer counties, higher also than the state and national averages (see Table 1). It is likely a large factor in the status of Spartanburg as having the lowest median family income and per capita income of peer counties.

Table 15. Distribution of S.C. Public College / University Graduates by County

1996-1997 Graduates 2001-2002 Graduates

Spartanburg 5.3%% 5.1%

Greenville 9.1% 9.4%

Richland 11.4% 10.8%

Charleston 9.8% 10.7%


33


American Community Survey www.censU.S..gov/acs/www.SBasics/what/what1.htm

College Continuation Rates for Recent High School Graduates 1959-2007. Post-secondary Education OPPORTUNITY, 191, 1-16.

Friedman, T.L. (2005). The world is flat, after all. The New York Times Company.

Interstate Migration of College Freshmen 1986 to 2006. Post-secondary Education OPPORTUNITY, 193, 1-16.

National Center for Educational Statisticsnces.ed.gov/ipedsspas

No high school senior left behind. National Commission on the High School Senior Year, 2001.

Retaining graduates of South Carolina public colleges and universities. S.C. Commission on Higher Education, November 2007.

S.C. Commission on Higher Educationwww.che.sc.gov

S.C. Department of Educationwww.ed.S.C..gov

Task Force on College Degree Attainment, John C. Stockwell, Chair. The 40/30 challenge: College degree attainment in Spartanburg County South Carolina. (Draft date July 9, 2008).

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post-secondary Educationwww.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html

U.S. Metro Economies. Conference of Mayors, January, 2007.

What we know about access and success in post-secondary education. The Lumina Foundation, 2008.

Sources and References

34


List of Tables

Table 1. Demographics of Comparable Cities ......................................................................................................8

Table 2. Educational Attainment for Population 25 Years and Over ........................................................................10

Table 3. High School Graduation, Drop Out Rates and Graduation by Race by County .............................................10

Table4. Transience .......................................................................................................................................11

Table5. HighSchoolCompletersenrolledin2006-2007CollegeFreshmanClass .................................................15

Table 6. Percentage 2006 S.C. Graduates Entering College .................................................................................15

Table7. SpartanburgCountyHighSchoolGraduatesEnrolledinCollege ...............................................................16

Table8. TotalEnrollmentinLocalColleges,Fall2006 ........................................................................................17

Table9. DegreesAwarded,AcademicYear2005-2006 .....................................................................................20

Table 10. Enrollment by Race and Gender ..........................................................................................................21

Table 11. Graduation by Race ...........................................................................................................................22

Table12. LIFEScholarshipRecipientsRetainedScholarship ..................................................................................25

Table 13. Occupational Wage Estimates .............................................................................................................28

Table14. GraduatesofS.C.PublicInstitutionsLivinginS.C………….. .................................................................31

Table 15. Distribution of S.C. Public College / University Graduates by County ..........................................................32

List of Figures

Figure1. EducationalAttainment,2006………………………………….........................................................9

Figure2. CollegeEnrollmentof2007HighSchoolGraduates………. .................................................................14

Figure3. PercentageofUndergraduateApplicantsAdmitted……….. ...................................................................17

Figure4. 2004FreshmanReturningtoCollege……………………….. ...........................................................18

Figure5. GraduationRateforSpartanburgColleges…………………. ..............................................................19

Figure6. EnrollmentbyRace……………………………………………. ...................................................22

Figure7. EnrollmentbyGender…………………………………………. ....................................................22

Figure8. TuitionandFees……………………………………………….....................................................23

Figure9. FederalFinancialAidandStateandLocalGrants……….. .....................................................................23

Figure10. StudentsReceivingInstitutionalGrantsandLoans………... ...................................................................24

Figure11. FreshmenReceivingLIFEScholarships……………………. ..............................................................25

Figure 12. Correlation Analysis: Income by Bachelors Degrees ................................................................................29

Figure 13. Perceived Importance of College .........................................................................................................30

Tables and Figures

35


Goal 2 Indicators

Because Spartanburg is a dynamic community, the issues that impact the growth, health and quality of life for its citizens are in flux. Since the 2005 iteration of the Community Indicators VI report was presented to the community, it has become necessary or beneficial to change a number of the indicators for various goals. The rationale for changes in indicators for goal2oftheCommunityIndicatorsprojectisprovidedbelow.Anumberofindicatorsmorereflectiveofpre-kindergarten–12th grade were moved to goal 1 and a number of indicators were added to provide a more comprehensive picture of the status of post-secondary education in Spartanburg County. In the current iteration, demographic data by race and gender were included for a number of indicators, and peer county data were provided for comparison for most indicators.

Appendices

Indicators for Goal 2

Community Indicators VI Current Iteration

GED Certificates Maintained as “Adult Education”

Spartanburg Technical College enrollmentChanged to Spartanburg Community College and maintained under “Educational Attainment”, and Spartanburg Methodist College, The University of South Carolina Upstate, Converse College and Wofford College enrollments added

Educational Attainment Maintained

Added under “Educational Attainment”: post-secondary graduation and retention rates

Added under “Educational Attainment”: local retention of graduates

Added under “Educational Attainment”: admissions

Added: college enrollment and graduation by demographic factors

Added: number of degrees awarded

Added: financial issues

Added: transience

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Draft Recommendations from “The 40/30 Challenge: College Degree Attainment in Spartanburg County South Carolina”

A Report of the Task Force on College Degree Attainment John C. Stockwell, Chair.

The Task Force offers a dozen recommendations in support of major improvements in bachelor’s degree attainment in Spartanburg County. Each recommendation is supported in the full report by substantial justification and operational detail.

Recommendation #1 is the most important and overarching. The others are means to the end of its achievement.

1. Adopt“The40/30Challenge.”TheTaskForceurgesthatSpartanburgCountyadoptthischallenge:40%ofourpopulation aged 25 and above holding bachelor’s degrees by the year 2030; and that the leadership of our county at all levels be signatory to an agreement declaring the intention to meet this challenge.

2. Define and Measure Upstream Achievement. Develop and set intermediate and long-term targets for a series of upstreameducationalachievementsallleadingtowardaccomplishmentof“The40/30Challenge.”

3. Establish“TheCollegeHub,”aphysicalplaceandastructuralentityfocusedon“The40/30Challenge”andonsustained advocacy for its achievement.

4. IntensifyEmphasisonCollegeinSchools.Redoublethemessagethatcollegeisnotonlypossible,itisessential.Underscore this emphasis by expanding dual enrollment opportunities and other strategies.

5. MarketanEducationCulture.Launchalong-term,county-wideinformationcampaignemphasizingthecriticalimportanceofhighereducationandfocusedon“The40/30Challenge.”

6. Influence Parental and Social Expectations. Carry the campaign message beyond the schools into critical social settings such as churches and workplaces.

7. DevelopReturn-to-LearnOpportunities.Consistentwiththeirmissions,Spartanburg’scollegesshouldworktogetherwith employers and others to greatly enhance the opportunities and the motivation for bachelor degree “non-completers” to become bachelor degree “completers.” Expand transfer agreements among the two and four-year College Town institutions and provide incentives to ease the continued pursuit of the bachelors degree.

8. Expand College Success Programs including, for example the “Student Success Center” program model at The University of South Carolina Upstate and similar programs on other college campuses in the County.

9. SecureFinancialResourcestoAssureInstitutionalCapacityforGrowth.KeyleadersinSpartanburgCountyshouldjoin SCC and The University of South Carolina Upstate leadership in lobbying for equitable funding in their operating budgets.

10. Adopt “The Spartanburg County Compact.” As other communities have done, the Task Force recommends the adoption of “The Spartanburg County Compact” designed to assure that all Spartanburg County high school graduates whohaveattendedCountyschoolsfromthe9thgradeforward,whohavemetthetermsandconditionsofthe“foundational agreement,” and who demonstrate financial need will be guaranteed tuition/fee funding to attend college at a Spartanburg County institution.

37


Initiatives to Increase Post-Secondary Degree Attainment

Following are current, expanding and new initiatives at Spartanburg Community College (SCC):

• TransitionalStudiesProgram(developmental)foracademicallyunderpreparedstudentstogivethemthebasicskillsnecessary for success in curriculum courses.

• LearningCommunitiestargetedtowardthemostat-riskstudentsintheTransitionalStudiesProgram(developmental).

• BestStartProgram(BSP)–adualcreditprogramthatprovideseligiblejuniorandseniorhighschoolstudentswhoare16 years of age or older an opportunity to enroll in SCC courses prior to graduation from high school.

• APre-CollegeInstitute(PCI)developedtoassistacademicallyunderpreparedhighschoolstudentstobecomeeligibleto participate in the Best Start Program.

• LearningInstituteforNavigatingKnowledge(LINK)Program–developedforhighschoolstudentsatriskofdroppingout. Students attend SCC and enroll in college courses earning dual credit towards a high school diploma and a college degree. All seven Spartanburg County school districts have students participating.

• CareerQuest–ajointventurebetweenmiddleschools,highschools,careercentersandSpartanburgCommunityCollege to offer a career exploration experience to students and their parents.

• AIMCenter–providespersonalandcareercounselingandfinancialassistanceforbooks,childcare,educationsupplies and city bus tickets to students who are economically disadvantaged, have limited English proficiency, are single parents, displaced homemakers, individuals with disabilities and students enrolled in non-traditional programs.

• SuccessNetwork–anacademicsupportprogramavailabletoeligibleSCCstudentsofferingservicessuchastutoring,assistance with study skills, college transfer planning, campus visits to four-year colleges, peer mentoring, assistance with career development needs and cultural enrichment activities.

• RitaAllisonLearningCenter–offersstudentsacademicsupportviaone-on-oneandgrouptutorialsinmanyacademicsubjects, as well as an open computer lab with skilled assistance in CPT classes and software use.

• ProgramGrowth–additionrecentlyofRadiationProtectionTechnology,Mechatronics,EarlyChildhoodSpecialEducation, AA with Business electives, Spanish and Communication Programs.

• Continuedgrowthinthenumberofapprenticeshipswithserviceareabusinesses.

• Increasingthenumberofprogramarticulationagreements–mostrecentincludeEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentwithSC State University, science courses with Clemson University, Pre-Paralegal with Spartanburg Methodist College.

• BridgeProgramwithTheUniversityofSouthCarolinaUpstateandTheUniversityofSouthCarolina.

• ContinuedgrowthinendowedscholarshipsandfundraisersforbookfundsthroughtheSCCFoundation.

• TheSCCFoundationcreatescommunityawarenessoftheCollegeanditsprogramsbydoingtheRed,WhiteandBoom every year. The Foundation also awards a scholarship at that event.

• SmartJobsprogramisrepresentedatweeklymeetingsoftheEmploymentSecurityCommission.

• RecruitingServicesexpansionofpartnershipswithadulteducationcenters,toincludeZ.L.MaddenLearningCenter,WoodruffLearningCenter,MiddleTygerCommunityCenter,AdultLearningCenter,LimestoneLearningCenter,UnionCounty Adult Education Center, Family Connections and Spartanburg Achieve.

• SCCworkswithReadySCtoassistnewandexpandingbusinessandindustrylocatedinourserviceareawithidentifying and training their new employee base. This includes testing of current skills, often using WorkKeys, basic pre-employment training and post-employment training.

Appendices (Cont.)

38


• SCC has an Accelerated Business Center (ABC) at its Tyger River Campus to help business and industry jump-start an expansion or re-location. It can be used to develop new products or processes, train new employees, or for pre-employment training in order to select the most qualifi ed candidates new positions.

• SCC has a Small Business Incubator (SBI) at its Tyger River Campus, an invaluable tool for small businesses to get started. By offering offi ce space in the Tyger River Building, the SBI provides a professional working environment without the overwhelming overhead costs for individuals starting a small business.

• Continuing expansion of the College and its programs to sites more convenient for the students such as the Tyger River Campus and the Cherokee County Campus.

• Continuing education opportunities designed to assist local business and industry in training and professional development.

• Assessment and High Stakes Testing Center to assist individuals, business and industry with certifi cation testing and workforce assessment.

Spartanburg Methodist College (SMC)

• Student Support Services Program: SMC offers a Title III sponsored program that is designed to enable fi rst generation, low income, and handicapped students to earn a degree.

• SMC offers free tutoring services, both individual and through a lab, and a writing center to help students succeed.

• SMC has many transfer/articulation agreements with 23 higher education institutions in South Carolina to aid in the transfer to baccalaureate degree programs. Its team of academic advisors, counseling center, and Student Support Services program is strongly engaged in assisting students in this way.

• SMC has a very strong academic advisement program that fosters the development of students in the selection of courses to meet its graduation requirements.

• In recent years, SMC has used the theme “Discover” to engage students as they explore college options, academic programs, and personal development. Although SMC continues to use this theme, it has adopted another College-wide theme, “Connections,” that underscores its commitment to connect students to their academic programs, academic major, to personal resources for individual development, and to transfer to a baccalaureate institution to continue their education.

• SMC has formal “bridge programs” with The University of South Carolina Upstate and Wofford College. In this program, the senior institution refers students who do not meet their respective admissions standards to SMC. Students that meet admission standards are admitted under the bridge agreement. Students that successfully earn 30 hours of college-level work and achieve a cumulative 3.0 gpa after one year at SMC are eligible to transfer to the senior institution.

• SMC has an annual “Freshman Day of Service” program that occurs on the fi rst full day when freshmen are on campus. Teams of 20-25 students are sent with two SMC faculty &/or staff to a service site. After working at the site for several hours, teams return to campus to have lunch together and discuss the experiences of the morning.

• SMC has initiated this year an “Alcohol EDU” program that is a proactive effort to educate freshmen students about the perils of using alcohol. This program was launched before freshmen students arrive on campus. Freshmen are required to engage in a 3-hour computer program before arriving at SMC. After a week or two, students are required to go through a 30-minute computer program. Both programs are designed to heighten students’ awareness of how alcohol affects the body and mind.

• Although SMC currently does not offer on-line courses, one non-academic on-line course will be used with students in the certifi cate based Paralegal Program this year. This pilot program will provide insight into ways SMC may engage in on-line courses in the future.

39



• AdditionoftheGeorgeDeanJohnsonCollegeofBusinesslocatedindowntownSpartanburg(underconstruction)

• OpeningofthenewHealthEducationCenterinfall2008providesadditionalclassroomspace,technology,andawellness center

• Participating in the statewide EPIC initiative to align high school skill sets with expectations of first year college student skill sets

• Formaldiscussionsinitiatedbetweenhighschoolteachersandcollegefacultyinmath,Englishandsciencetodiscusscurricula and skill sets taught/needed/desired

• Partnershipswithpublicschoolstoexplore“globalclassrooms”

• Partnerships with public schools for digital story-telling to enhance computer skills and writing skills to prepare students for college

• Scholar’sAcademy

• TeachingFellows

• MySpartanjob.comcampuswebsiteandafull-timestudentemploymentcoordinatortofacilitateandincrease on-campus student employment

• Articulationinnursingbetweenassociatedegreeprogramsandbaccalaureateprograms

• Articulation of common courses in all state institutions so that requirements are common in all institutions of higher education

• Advisorsforstudentsinprofessionalmajors

• OpportunityNetwork,afederallyfundedTRIOprogram(StudentSupportServices)servingfirstgenerationstudents,students with disabilities, and / or students who meet certain federal income guidelines

• Supplementalinstructionofferedforhistoricallydifficultcourses(>30%D,F,andWrates)inmajorspecificcoursesinNursing,Sciences,andBusiness

• TutorialservicesofferedtoallstudentsviatheCenterforStudentSuccess,theWritingCenter,theMathandComputerSciencelab,andtheForeignLanguageslab

• University101freshmanseminarcourseofferedtoallfirstyearstudentshelpingtoeasethetransitiontocollegeandto integrate students into the campus and community through engaged learning, hands-on activities, extra-curricular involvement and service learning

• HiringofanAssistantViceChancellorforStudentSuccess

• Internships and externships to support students academically and financially as they progress through programs of study

• Careerexplorationopportunities

• Flexibleschedulingofclasses(somemajors)

• Increaseduseofdistancelearningforstudentswhocannotattendclassesoncampus

• Daycarecenterlocatedonthecampus

• Increaseduseoftechnologytoengagestudentsinactivelearning

• Outreachstrategiesforallfirstyearstudentsincludingstudentswhodonotliveoncampus

• Outreachstrategiesforalltransferstudents

• ScholarshipretentionstrategiesforallstudentswhoreceiveLIFE,HOPEandPalmettoscholarships

• Academicadvisementtrainingprovidedtoallnewfaculty

• BridgeprogramswithGreenvilleTechandSpartanburgCommunityCollege

Appendices (Cont.)

40


AcknowledgmentsThe collaborators of the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project would like to thank the various subject matter experts from the post-secondary education community in Spartanburg County who contributed data, direction and feedback to this report.

Sincerely,

John Dargan Katherine A. Dunleavy President/CEO President/CEO The Spartanburg County Foundation United Way of the Piedmont

Tom Gates John C. Stockwell, Ph.D. Assistant County Administrator Chancellor Spartanburg County The University of South Carolina Upstate

John Dargan

Katherine A. Dunleavy

John C. Stockwell, Ph.D.

Spartanburg Community Indicators Project is a collaboration of The Spartanburg

County Foundation, United Way of the Piedmont, Spartanburg County Government,

and The University of South Carolina Upstate. It reports on progress of key issues

that are the clearest indicators of quality of life in the County of Spartanburg, South

Carolina. Its goal is to report on data and community initiatives to inspire dialogue

and strategy that leads to change within the community.

www.StrategicSpartanburg.org

the status of post-secondary education in spartanburg county 2 2008... · goal 7: our communities...

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