Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development: An Evaluation of CORE 42’s Impact in Missouri

Abstract

Statewide articulation agreements are a burgeoning initiative in higher education, designed to increase graduation rates and lower costs for college students. In response to Senate Bill 997, the 2016 Missouri Transfer Curriculum Act charged the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) with developing a standard general education core transfer curriculum for the state’s 2-year and 4-year public higher education institutions and any independent institutions electing to participate. Previous research on the efficacy of statewide articulation agreements is mixed. The researchers use convergent parallel design to understand the degree to which CORE 42 has satisfied the state’s goal of supporting transfer student persistence toward graduation. Quantitative findings reveal a decline in overall transfer student enrollment after CORE 42’s implementation but showed a positive relationship between Pell Grant eligibility and perception of CORE 42 on persistence to graduation. Qualitative findings reveal institutions’ initial perceptions of CORE 42 vary by institution type, that the implementation has required increased effort on institutional personnel, and a faculty perception of tension between CORE 42 and academic freedom. Based on these findings, researchers present recommendations for the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.