The Institute for Higher Education Policy

Data & transparencyour system of Higher Education is data-rich but information-poor. We promote smart Higher Education data use by identifying trends in data collection and reporting at The federal, state, and institutional levels, supporting a culture of data-use on campuses through our research, trainings, and communities of practices, and calling for The modernization of our postsecondary data infrastructure. Since 2016, ihep has led The postsecondary data collaborative (postsecdata), a coalition of diverse organizations that recognize The power of high-quality data to ensure equitable access and success in Higher Education. The coalition jointly advocates for The use of high-quality postsecondary data to promote student success, inform and evaluate Policy and inform student choices about their investments in Higher Education.

Evidence-based completion Higher Education can be a pathway to economic security, social mobility and society-wide value if students earn a degree or credential. Ihep promotes evidence-based pathways to completion for today's students by identifying barriers to completion and degree attainment, examining innovative and effective approaches at The institutional, state, and federal levels to promote completion, and working with policymakers and practitioners to advance strategies and policies that support students as they complete their studies. As champions of The federal postsecondary student success grant program, ihep works to raise awareness among institutions of this critical funding to support knowledge building and scaling of data-driven strategies that improve completion. We also advocate for federal authorization and deepened investments in The postsecondary student success grant program. These efforts are informed by ihep's degrees when due initiative that helped nearly 200 two- and four-year institutions in 23 states identify, reengage and support some of The 39 million adults who have completed some college, but did not earn a degree. Similarly, ihep's transfer boost initiative aimed to improve outcomes for some of The 69% of community college enrollees who do not transfer to a 4-year institution. The cohort-based initiative helped institutions in four states develop bachelor's opportunity options that are straightforward and transparent, elevate transfer commitments, and reach students with clear messaging about affordable transfer pathways.

Strong outcomes for all students all institutions and programs should deliver value to students. Drawing from our postsecondary value framework, we evaluate novel approaches to assess The economic returns students receive for their postsecondary investment, consider impact with equity in mind, and cultivate support for comprehensive reform that incentivizes and supports improvement, especially among programs that persistently deliver a low return on investment.

Equitable college admissions years of inequitable admissions policies have left black, latinx, and american indian and Alaska native students underrepresented at The nation's selective institutions, and The u.s. supreme court decisions make reversing those trends both more difficult and more critical than ever. We build field support for The positive impacts of a diverse campus to encourage institutions to implement strategies that will increase racial and socioeconomic diversity. Ihep researches recruitment, admissions, and enrollment policies and practices that inequitably benefit students from privileged backgrounds, and their impact on The success of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

Need-based aid need-based aid does more than make college more affordable - it makes college possible. We promote affordable postsecondary Education for today's students by identifying financial challenges, examining innovative approaches to address them, calling to protect and increase need-based aid at The federal, state, and institutional levels, and working with policymakers and practitioners to advance strategies and policies that prioritize need-based investment in students. We focus squarely on enhancing support for students living with low and moderate incomes, including through pell grants, and funding to support non-tuition costs that include basic needs such as food and housing.