Definitions
Below are definitions for some of the terminology utilized within the ADHE master plan: Align Arkansas 2026
Adults - A student between the ages of 25 and 54 at the beginning of the Fall term being measured.
Career Training - Post-high school career training includes credit and non-credit training providing students with required skills to enter into a targeted career field. For the purpose of this plan the training must be associated with either credit hours or non-credit CEUs reported to ADHE.
Central Region - Institutions included in the Central Region: Central Baptist College, Hendrix College, Shorter College, University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, University of Central Arkansas
Credential - Credentials include all credit-bearing credentials as recognized by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. This includes Basic Certificates, Technical Certificates, Vocational Diplomas, Associate Degrees, Advanced Certificates, Baccalaureate Degrees, Post-Baccalaureate Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Post-Master/Specialist Degrees, and Doctoral Degrees. Not included are non-credit credentials even if that non-credit credential results in eligibility for a state or nationally recognized license or certification.
East Region - Institutions included in the East Region: Arkansas State University Mid-South, East Arkansas Community College, Phillips County Community College of the University of Arkansas
Entry-Level Employment Ready - As defined by ACT, (https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/Work-Readiness-Standards-and-Benchmarks.pdf) “A ‘work ready’ individual possesses the foundational skills needed to be minimally qualified for a specific occupation as determined through a job analysis or occupational profile.” An entry-level employment ready student has graduated from high school with basic cognitive and soft-skills needed to be successful in an entry-level position in the workforce.
External Funding for Research and Development - Funding used for research and development by an institution that is obtained through grants, gifts, partnerships, and other sources not including state general revenue.
First Generation - An individual both of whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree; or in the case of any who regularly resided with and received support from only one parent, an individual whose only such parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree.
Former Foster Youth - An individual who was in foster care for one day after their 13th birthday and can provide documentation of their foster care status, as defined by the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Little Rock Region - Institutions included in the Little Rock Region: Arkansas Baptist College, Baptist Health College Little Rock, Philander Smith College, University of Arkansas Little Rock, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Low Income - A student who receives more than $0 in Pell grant.
North Central Region - Institutions included in the North Central Region: Arkansas State University Beebe, Arkansas State University Newport, Harding University, Lyon College, Ozarka College, University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
Northeast Region - Institutions included in the Northeast Region: Arkansas Northeastern College, Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Black River Technical College, Crowley’s Ridge College, Williams Baptist University
Northwest Region - Institutions included in the Northwest Region: Arkansas State University Mountain Home, Ecclesia College, John Brown University, North Arkansas College, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Northwest Technical Institute, University of Arkansas Fayetteville
Participation - For the purpose of this plan, participation means enrollment resulting in course registration. For a student to be counted as a participant in higher education they must be included in census day reporting of student data to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
Re-entry - A student who at any time has been previously incarcerated in a state or federal prison. This does not include students who have been held in a city or county jail. There is not a time limit on when the student was incarcerated.
Rural - Students will be identified as rural in two ways. Traditional students, up to age age 24, will be determined as Rural based upon their graduated high school. Non-traditional students, age 25 and above, will be determined as Rural based upon their County of Origin. High Schools will be determined to be Rural for traditional students if the high school has a Locale of “Rural: Remote” in the National Center for Educational Statistics Common Core of Data (https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/). Arkansas Counties will be determined as Rural for non-traditional students if the county is identified as “Completely Rural” by the US Census (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html) County Classification.
Southeast Region - Institutions included in the Southeast Region: Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Southeast Arkansas College, University of Arkansas Monticello, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Southwest Region - Institutions included in the Southwest Region: Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, South Arkansas Community College, Southern Arkansas University Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Tech, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana
Targeted Credential - Credentials with ADHE approved CIP Codes and degree levels designated as high demand for the state of Arkansas and/or regionally within this plan. See the Credential Goal Details for the specific CIP Codes included.
Underserved Minority - A student who identifies as either Black/African American or Hispanic. If a student identifies as two or more races, the student will be considered an underserved minority if any race identified is Black/African American or Hispanic.
West Central Region - Institutions included in the West Central Region: Arkansas State University Three Rivers, Arkansas Tech University, Champion Christian College, Henderson State University, National Park College, Ouachita Baptist University, University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton, University of the Ozarks
West Region - Institutions included in the West Region: Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain, University of Arkansas Fort Smith