Even though the school-age population has increased, the number of high school graduates has decreased over the past few years. UW System campuses are eager to combat this, but some feel that their efforts are not enough.
For Wisconsin students ages five to 17, there was a decline from 981,000 in 2010 to 962,500 in 2015. There is likely to be an increase to 1,012,500 in 2035. The net gain throughout the next 30 years will be around 2.7 percent.
However, students pursuing postsecondary education is decreasing nationwide. In the 2012-’13 academic year, 70.9 percent of students who graduated went on to college. In 2016-’17, the number of students decreased to 55.2 percent, resulting in a loss of more than 15 percent.
“This significant decline in enrollment was a major factor in UW System’s decision to restructure,” said Director of Strategic Communications Heather LaRoi.
Over the summer, the UW System committed to merging their two- and four-year campuses. The current academic year serves as a crucial transition while they boost the functionality of increasing online courses and defining satellite campuses.
These new programs may be important in light of decreased academic achievement among students in primary school, which may also have an effect later in their high school career.
Less than half of Wisconsin students in grades three through eight reached proficiency in English, math and science, according to the results of the Forward Exam.
After three years of administering the exam, the state is starting to see results in the lack of success of current curricula among the 455,000 students that took the exam.
Radomski said the most effective way to encourage dwindling high school graduates to create a “profile” that analyzes enrollment trends — factoring in all the students who applied, were admitted and enrolled. The information regarding race, gender and income would be cultivated in a separate data outlet.
By creating the profile, administrators will have the ability to delve into the logistics of student interest and where their efforts should be focused to promote the campuses throughout the state.
“Campuses can no longer rely on high school visits and campus tours to attract enough freshmen and transfer students,” said Noel Radomski, director and associate researcher at the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education.
However, the profiles alone will not be enough to raise enrollment, according to Radomski.
Reports say that the number of graduates will continue to decline in the next 20 years, while the percentage of low-income students and students of color will increase.
“In Wisconsin, in many counties, the number and percentage of Caucasian students is declining and the number and percentage of Latinx students are expanding,” Radomski said.
In response to these shifting demographics, the UW System is proactively searching for methods to encourage higher enrollment numbers and create a diverse campus environment.
The system has created Trio Programs, which prepares low income, first generation or disabled Americans for college via federal funds. All campuses have committed to the six aid options, including educational opportunity centers and student support services.
“The UW System is actively engaged to help increase student success all along the education pipeline,” LaRoi said. “We are reaching out to students earlier in the process to help them consider college as a realistic opportunity.”
