The governing body overseeing West Virginia's community and technical colleges does not have an adequate accountability system for schools that fail to meet state higher education goals, a legislative audit released this week has found.
During a performance review, legislative auditors found the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education has not fully implemented a state-mandated accountability system, which they said hinders institutional progress and accurate assessment of each school.
John Sylvia, director of the state's Performance Evaluation and Research Division, said the council isn't taking forceful action when colleges fail to meet the state's education goals.
Those goals include meeting benchmarks for economic and workforce development, access and affordability and degree completion. The report specifically notes West Virginia's poor educational attainment rate, which is one of the worst in the country.
"With how they've responded to colleges not meeting goals, it appears they aren't holding them accountable," Sylvia said of the council. "It's like they move on and there's no accountability."
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, only 28 percent of working-age adults in West Virginia have obtained at least a two-year degree, the benchmark used to determine educational attainment rates.
While the number of West Virginians with degrees has risen in recent years, from 25 percent in 2008 to 28 in 2013, the report says the state still ranks last in the nation.
The report also says the council is not following a state law requiring colleges to submit annual accountability compacts. When they are turned in, the report says they are incomplete and little action is taken when goals aren't met.
The council disagrees with that finding.
In a letter to auditors, Sarah Tucker, chancellor of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia, said the council is updated on institutional progress each year and that many of the goals auditors say don't get addressed aren't under the council's authority to enforce.
Tucker did, however, agree with the auditors' concerns with the state's lackluster degree completion rate.
"We agree that the college attainment rate of adults in West Virginia is a serious concern and it is a problem that we will continue to try to remedy," she said in a written response to the report. She went on to say the educational attainment rate has increased nearly 3 percent the past five years. Because of that, she said 30,000 more adults have been educated and remain in West Virginia.
As for a follow up review, Sylvia said one is possible, though it would depend on what other reports turn up.
"But it's not my decision to make that call," he said, later adding that he can only pass along a recommendation for a second look.
When asked if he thinks the findings warrant a follow up, Sylvia said it's something he'll consider recommending.
"The only thing preventing me from doing that is if we have more serious things to follow up on," he said. "We'll have to wait and see."
The full report can be found at the Performance Evaluation and Research Division's page on the Legislature's website.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.