Institute for Higher Education Policy

📢 Calling all teams interested in improving #PostsecValue! Are you committed to improving student outcomes through evidence-based solutions? Apply to join the third cohort of our Value Data Collaborative to conduct research that informs policy and practice change aimed at enhancing postsecondary value for all students. What is the Value Data Collaborative❓ The Value Data Collaborative brings together states, institutions, and multi-campus systems to harness the power of data and analyze students’ return on investment through the Postsecondary Value Framework. What will teams gain❓ Participants will conduct targeted research to better understand and enhance postsecondary value in their state or institution.    Who will teams meet❓ Participants will engage with a vibrant Community of Practice, connecting with analytic experts and peer networks for shared learning and collaboration.    What support will teams receive❓ Selected teams will receive analytical support, technical assistance, a secure data infrastructure, and honoraria. How do you apply❓ Don't miss this opportunity to make a real impact. Learn more in the formal request for proposals:  https://lnkd.in/es9f8JgJ #RequestForProposals #EducationResearch #HigherEd #DataAnalysis

This week I had the opportunity to speak at the Accelerating Attainment 2025 & Beyond conference about how to make higher education policy more responsive to the needs of students. This conference was both a celebration for what's been accomplished and a sign that there's much more work to do. Thank you to Jessie Ryan for facilitating such a great & engaging conversation that gave us all a lot to think about — and for the shout out! Thank you to Kelly Leon, Eleanor Eckerson Peters, and Lauren Bell MEd at the Institute for Higher Education Policy for all the support and guidance leading up to delivering my remarks.

Without quality data about how college students are faring, we cannot make good decisions. The Institute of Education Sciences, an arm of the U.S. Department of Education, improves everyone’s work. We support the Institute for Higher Education Policy's call (with the Association for Education Finance and Policy) to restore the institute and follow federal law. #highereducation #highered #federallaw

📢 Breaking: IHEP Joins Lawsuit to Protect Federal Education Data and Research Today, IHEP and the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP), represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education to stop its unlawful dismantling of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). For decades, IES has been the backbone of education research, producing the data and analysis that policymakers, institutions, and researchers rely on to improve student outcomes. “At IHEP, we rely on data from the Institute of Education Sciences to develop evidence-based insights about how all students access, afford, and make progress toward a college degree or credential,” said Mamie Voight, IHEP’s president & CEO. “As champions for postsecondary data, we feel a responsibility to act in the public interest to protect and preserve the information the field relies upon to better serve our nation’s students.” This lawsuit seeks to restore IES’s staff, contracts, and resources so it can continue its mission. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gRfWQkEy #SaveIES #HigherEd #EducationResearch #IES

This week, we joined the Institute for Higher Education Policy and other colleagues in Celebrating and Accelerating Attainment: 2025 & Beyond, a celebration of the postsecondary completion movement. Here are some highlights: 📊 Our CEO and President, Stephen Moret, spoke during a session on reimagining higher education: “Post-college outcomes is the next frontier, the unfinished business of the attainment movement.” 💼 Our Senior Vice President of Work-Based Learning, Laura Thompson Love, participated in an engaging panel on the future of career-aligned postsecondary policies and practices: “Students are looking for more than a class. They are looking for a supportive environment, and that includes quality work-based learning opportunities.” #AccelerateAttainment

As higher ed faces heightened skepticism and greater challenges, the movement to increase the nation’s educational attainment must also ensure the value of credentials. In a town hall Q&A Wednesday on philanthropy’s role in higher education, Michelle Cooper from Lumina, Patrick Methvin from Gates Foundation, and William Moses from The Kresge Foundation discussed how the path ahead includes continuing to drive systemic change, fostering more collaboration among funders, and listening to partners on the ground. In a time of uncertainty for higher ed, philanthropy remains committed to its values of creating real opportunity for everyone. “I believe in the promise of policy, even when it’s hard. I believe in the promise of bipartisanship, even when it’s hard to see. And I think that this is a moment that calls for that,” Cooper said. #AccelerateAttainment

Celebrating & Accelerating Attainment 2025 & Beyond reminded us what’s possible when vision, courage, and collaboration come together. We were honored to listen and learn alongside so many leaders who have not only moved the attainment needle, but who continue to ask the hard questions about what comes next—and for whom. The conversations were honest. The visions were bold. And the sense of shared purpose was palpable. We’re walking away with renewed clarity, deeper connection, and a collective commitment to the work ahead. #AccelerateAttainment #HigherEd #PostsecValue

Over the past two days, CivicLab joined dozens of other leading organizations to celebrate and accelerate the postsecondary attainment movement. Serving as the home to Talent Hubs and the National Talent Network, CivicLab is at the center of local and regional systems change efforts across the country. Without a doubt, cross-sector partnerships focused at the local and regional levels have driven postsecondary attainment gains. In a study of 22 Talent Hubs across the three academic years (AY2017-AY2020), 296,656 students earned a credential for the first-time. The number of first-time credential earners increased by 12.2%, resulting in 21,892 additional first-time credential earners over baseline levels. Notably, the cumulative increase in credential earners between AY2017 and AY2020 among these Talent Hubs (12.2%) exceeded the national trend (1.8%). These partnerships are highly effective at bringing business, nonprofits, higher education, local philanthropy, and government entities together to design and enact unique local systems improvements that radically accelerate credential completion. Moreover, these are the same partners that make sure these graduates get high-quality jobs, align education programs to the labor market, and drive economic development to build strong communities. As we enter the next phase of the attainment movement, CivicLab calls upon our philanthropic and government partners to double their investment in these communities. Over 100 cross-sector partnerships are part of the National Talent Network - 24 of whom have earning the Talent Hub designation - and they are well-poised to accelerate the national attainment movement in the only place that matters: the community learners and workers call home. We are grateful to Lumina Foundation, with support from The Kresge Foundation, for their incubation of this ever growing network of partnerships. Ascendium Education Group and ECMC Foundation have also supported the growth of this network into rural communities that are just as poised to improve postsecondary completion. It is our hope that Gates Foundation, Trellis Foundation, Strada Education Foundation, College Futures Foundation, and The Joyce Foundation contribute to the local and regional attainment movement by investing in Talent Hubs and the National Talent Network. Together, this collection of philanthropic agencies represents a collective national voice on the importance of postsecondary attainment, and CivicLab stands ready to serve as the leading connector between local and national change. #AcceleratingAttainment Institute for Higher Education Policy

Just returned from the Institute for Higher Education Policy Attainment Conference feeling energized and grateful to reflect on two decades of progress in the attainment movement — expanding opportunity, breaking down barriers, and supporting learners to reach their full potential. We’ve come a long way, and there’s still much ahead as we continue learning, adapting, and working toward a future where every learner has access to labor market information and the support they need to thrive. A special highlight was reconnecting with former colleagues and meeting new champions of this work. I’m especially grateful for the thoughtful time spent with Siva Kumari of College Possible Ekaterina Struett of College Advising Corps, and Jim Larimore (Matriculate board member) — all deeply committed to advancing the next generation of leaders. #Attainment #PostsecondarySuccess #LearnersFirst #Gratitude #Collaboration

At the Institute for Higher Education Policy's Celebrating and Accelerating Attainment 2025 & Beyond conference, AASCU President and CEO Chuck Welch joined fellow higher ed leaders for the "Finding Common Ground: Navigating Dynamic Environments in Support of Student Success" panel. In a time of funding cuts, policy shifts, and more, the discussion focused on actionable strategies for fostering collaboration, advocating for the value of higher education, and leading with clarity and resolve. AASCU is proud to champion institutions and leaders dedicated to student success and shaping a stronger future for higher education. #AccelerateAttainment