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STORY JUMP MENU
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A Note from Southern Region VP Jenny Krugman |
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Our Regional Council, made up of representatives from our 10 Southern Region states, is hard at work promoting essential elements of the College Board's college success mission. On Feb. 6-8, colleagues from across the region and the nation will gather in Hilton Head, S.C., to attend our regional forum and to celebrate pathways opening doors to student achievement.
Our leaders share a single focal point, college success for the region's and the nation's students. Council Chair Michael Shackleford of Virginia State University, Chair-Elect Libby Brookshire of Biloxi (Miss.) Public Schools and Chair Emeritus Mildred Johnson of Virginia Tech University bring our members together around issues of excellence and equity in education.
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In other news, the Georgia Department of Education is promoting rigor in supporting AP, advanced academic course-taking and SAT® readiness. The region hosted a conference of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, featuring unique innovations that HBCUs contribute to student achievement. In Alabama, African-American students outscored African-American students nationwide in percentage gains on AP Examination scores of 3-5. In Florida, Hispanic students have closed the achievement gap in that state with AP scores and student participation outdistancing Hispanic students' scores and participation in the nation as a whole.
Our Southern Region Trustees, along with their colleagues from across the nation, have been catalysts, asking what higher education leaders could do to help students from low-income backgrounds overcome education barriers in the financial, social and emotional realms. The answer: the CollegeKeys CompactT, which focuses on expanding options for low-income students and asking higher education institutions to embed support procedures to help students "get ready," "get in" and "get through" the higher education experience. Our call will go out to the region's major institutions, imploring leaders to reach out to students and to provide, in the words of College Board President Gaston Caperton, "access to the fruits of higher education for all [because this] is not only the right thing to do . . . it is the smart thing to do."
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Trends in College Pricing Report Shows Lower Tuition in the South |
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This year's Trends in College Pricing report shows that the average 2007-08 in-state tuition and fees at public four-year colleges is $5,018 in the Southern Region, the lowest among the six College Board regions. The Southern Region also had the second-lowest average published price for four-year privates, following the Southwestern Region.
"Average tuition and fees conceal considerable differences across sectors of higher education, across states and regions in the country and even within these categories," the report cautioned. Nationwide, 43 percent of public four-year college students are enrolled in institutions with published tuition and fees, including applicable out-of-state charges, between $3,000 and $6,000. In the South, the average 2007-08 in-state tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities range from $3,361 in Florida to $8,380 in South Carolina; the average in-state tuition and fees at public two-year colleges range from $1,336 in North Carolina to $3,450 in Kentucky; and the average tuition and fees at private four-year colleges and universities range from $12,785 in Mississippi to $23,590 in Louisiana.
Average tuition and fees at public and private four-year colleges and universities in the South have been increasing at rates similar to those of the nation as a whole in the last decade. However, average tuition and fees at public two-year colleges in the South have been increasing at a faster rate than those of the nation as a whole.
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Alabama, Kentucky and Virginia Receive NMSI Grants |
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A+ College Ready in Alabama, Kentucky
Science and Technology Corp. and Virginia
Advanced Study Strategies were three of
seven organizations awarded grants of up
to $13.2 million each from the National Math
and Science Initiative Inc. to provide training
and incentive programs to teachers of AP
courses in their respective states
over the next six years.
Currently, the United States is 16th among
17 nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds
who have earned degrees in natural science
or engineering, but there are proven strategies
for improving the underperformance of
U.S. students in math and science
education. NMSI is expanding these strategies
to the national level by offering grants that will attract
more qualified teachers and offer them specific training
and support, as well as financial incentives based on
academic achievement.
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Part of this program is modeled after UTeach, a successful initiative at the University of Texas at Austin, which encourages math and science majors to enter the teaching profession by offering compact degree plans and financial assistance.
More than $140 million has been raised for this effort, which includes initial funding of $125 million from ExxonMobil Corp. The investment in special training and incentive programs for math and science teachers, as well as for their continued support through a mentor program, will be returned by their students' increased participation and success in AP courses. Better preparation in math and science before college will lead to greater success in these fields in college. And providing a strong and steady supply of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is our best bet to restore the United States as the global leader in technological innovation.
"We commend the leaders of the National Math and Science Initiative for undertaking this ambitious effort. It's a great illustration of the type of public-private partnership - with AP as the core component of the program - that can profoundly change American education," said Tom Rudin, College Board senior vice president for government relations. "We're excited about the opportunity to work with the NMSI national organization and with each of the state grantees to implement significant AP expansion projects, so that tens of thousands of additional students can succeed in AP math, science and English courses and exams."
NMSI funding can offset the cost of professional development for math, science and language arts educators; defray the cost of programs and services intended to accelerate students in math, science and language arts; and help more students achieve success in AP courses related to these subjects. As this initiative was developed specifically with AP in mind, there are a number of applicable College Board programs and services that may enhance grantees' training and incentives programs. These include, but are not limited to, the Advanced Placement Program®, the PSAT/NMSQT® SpringBoard® and AP workshops.
Additional grants were awarded to organizations in four other states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Washington. Within five years, NMSI seeks to have training and incentive programs in 150 school districts in 20 states and UTeach running on more than 50 campuses nationwide.
NMSI is an innovative nonprofit organization created to facilitate the national scale-up of programs that have a demonstrated impact on math and science education in the United States and guided by leaders of industry and higher learning.
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2008 Southern
Regional Forum
Feb. 6-8, 2008
Hilton Head, S.C.
Join us at the Westin Resort on Hilton Head, S.C. The Preforum begins on Feb. 5, with our Counselor Workshop and other exciting sessions.
Once again, there is a Special Early Registration fee if you register before Dec. 14, 2007. We look forward to seeing you on Hilton Head Island.
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| Click here for more information on regional events. |
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Welcome New
Members to Your Region
At the College Board’s Annual meeting, 313 institutions were elected as members of the College Board. |
 (PDF) |
Click here
to view a list of new members in your region |
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Regional
Council Roster
View a list of council members in your region. |
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E-mail us your announcements.
Be sure to include your region in the subject line.
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The College Board
Southern Regional Office
3700 Crestwood Parkway, Suite 700
Duluth, GA 30096-5583
Phone: (866) 392-4088
Fax: (770) 225-4062
Send us a message
Florida Office
1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: (850) 521-4900
Fax: (850) 521-4921
Send us a message
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