An Arkansas ranking

Arkansas ranks as the 8th fattest state in the country, according to public health groups.

Pitiful ranking

The ADG this morning reports that Arkansas higher ed leaders want to go along with Gov. Mike Beebe's goal to double the number of degrees awarded by the state's colleges. In December census data indicated that Arkansas ranked second from the bottom with only 18.9 percent of adults who are 25 years old or older having bachelor's degrees. That is well below the national average, which is 27.5 percent. The lowest state in this ranking is West Virginia. Even Mississippi is higher, LOL.

How many Arkansas students are ready for college-level courses? Not many, judged by the need for remediation. Sure, it will be easy to pass out more diplomas, but will they be worth anything?

Dermott school distress

The Dermott, Arkansas, school district is facing drastic cuts. The town lost population during the past decade, according to the 2010 census. The result has been a huge budget shortfall. Now a consultant is talking about eliminating football, cheerleading, and the yearbook. The district has only about 400 students, with, based on the ADG this morning, a 4:1 student-teacher ratio. Still, I don't believe for a minute that they will drop football.  See also here.