Nation's college report cards reflect increasing costs

A report card grading each state on its support for higher education found that colleges have become less affordable in most places compared with two years ago, the last time the report was issued.

The nonprofit National Center for Public Policy and Education, based in San Jose, Calif., dropped the national affordability grade from a C- to a D. Faced with declining revenues because of the troubled economy, many public and private colleges have raised tuition.

California was the exception to the trend, according to the center. It received an A grade for affordability, which the center attributed to a program that provides tuition breaks to underprivileged families.

Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, hopes the report cards will gain attention from the winners of state elections around the country in November, resulting in more government support for higher education.

"The fact that this is the start of a new state political cycle means perhaps people will see this as part of their agenda," said Callan.

Besides affordability, the center graded each state in four other categories -- how states prepare students for college, how many people attend college, graduation rates and the benefits of a college-educated population. There was little change nationwide.

Advanced placement courses and the introduction of algebra to eighth-graders helped boost grades modestly in 14 states for college preparation.

A total of 42 states recorded slight improvements in one category or another; all 50 states saw grades drop in one or more categories. No state received straight A's.

"You seldom see anything revolutionary happen in two years. There is movement, but it's not going to change dramatically," Callan said.

The center used both federal government data and statistics from independent national sources, such as the College Board -- the administrator of the SAT -- to fashion the report cards.

The center is funded primarily by charitable trusts. It released its first 50-state report card two years ago.