Method

For fiscal years 2010-20, Grapevine was produced by Illinois State University’s Center for the Study of Education Policy in cooperation with the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).  The Grapevine survey was consolidated with the annual survey used by SHEEO in its State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) project.  As of fiscal year 2021, the Center assumed responsibility for the Grapevine report. The annual Grapevine tables provide a first look at state appropriations for the new fiscal year. The annual SHEF report offers a more complete examination of trends in total state support for higher education, factoring in inflation and enrollment.

The data for fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21) were collected in two sections from which the Grapevine data were drawn:

1. a section asking for data on state tax appropriations for higher education; and
2. a section asking for data on additional, non-tax state support for higher education. States were asked to provide data for the new fiscal year (FY21) and make revisions (if needed) to data reported for earlier years. Unlike Grapevine surveys conducted prior to 2009-10, the Grapevine instrument asked for state totals only. We did not collect data on individual institutions or higher education agencies. Each of the questionnaire sections from which the Grapevine data were drawn is described below.

Section 1: State Tax Support for Higher Education

In this section, states were asked to provide data on appropriations from state government taxes to institutions for operations and other higher education activities. States were asked to provide data for the new fiscal year (2020-21) as well as revisions (if necessary) to data on file for previous fiscal years. In addition to data on funding for four-year colleges and universities, the instructions asked states to include

• sums appropriated for state aid to local public community colleges, for the operation of state-supported community colleges, and for vocational-technical two-year colleges or institutes that are predominantly for high school graduates and adult students;
• sums appropriated to statewide coordinating boards or governing boards, either for board expenses or for allocation by the board to other institutions or both;
• sums appropriated for state scholarships or other student financial aid;
• sums destined for higher education but appropriated to some other state agency (as in the case of funds intended for faculty fringe benefits that are appropriated to the state treasurer and disbursed by that office); and
• appropriations directed to private institutions of higher education at all levels.

States were asked to exclude

• appropriations for capital outlays and debt service; and
• appropriations of sums derived from federal sources, student fees, auxiliary enterprises and other non-tax sources.

Section 2: Additional State Support for Higher Education

In this section, states were asked to provide data on state monies—other than tax appropriations—that are allocated to higher education. States were asked to provide data for the new fiscal year (2020-2021) as well as revisions (if necessary) to data on file for previous fiscal years. Specific data elements in this section of the questionnaire included:

• Funding under state auspices for appropriated non-tax state support set aside by the state for higher education. These may include, but are not limited to, monies from lotteries (including lottery scholarships), tobacco settlement funds, or casinos and other gaming.
• Funding under state auspices for non-appropriated state support. These may include, but are not limited to, monies from receipt of lease income, cattle-grazing rights fees, and oil/mineral extraction fees on land set aside by the state for higher education.
• Non-tax sums destined for higher education but appropriated to some other state agency. These may include any non-tax sums that are appropriated for higher education, but to some other state agency.
• Interest or earnings received from state-funded endowments set aside and pledged to public sector institutions.
• Any other state funds not included above.
• Portions of multi-year appropriations from previous years.

In addition, this section of the questionnaire asked for data on (a) appropriations that will, in all likelihood, have to be returned to the state and (b) portions of multiyear appropriations in the current year that are to be spread over other years. Both were subtracted from state totals.

Different practices among the 50 states make it impossible to eliminate all inconsistencies and to ensure absolute comparability among states and institutions.  In addition, the annual percent changes recorded for each state do not necessarily reflect the annual percent changes in funding for individual institutions or for specific higher education sectors (e.g., community colleges and universities) within states.

Contact Us

Jim Applegate, Grapevine Editor
Center for the Study of Education Policy
Illinois State University
Campus Box 5900
Normal, IL 61790-5900
Phone: (317) 508-9295