Institute For Higher Education Policy

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

LEADING THE EQUITABLE VALUE MOVEMENT:POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS HAVE THE POWER TO DELIVER VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS AND, IN SO DOING, DRIVE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MOBILITY, BOOST COMMUNITIES, BUILD A STRONGER WORKFORCE, AND BENEFIT OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY. STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE CREDENTIALS TYPICALLY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EMPLOYED, EARN HIGHER WAGES, HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO RETIREMENT AND HEALTHCARE PLANS, HAVE BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND ENGAGE IN MORE CIVIC-MINDED BEHAVIORS WHEN COMPARED WITH THOSE WHO DID NOT COMPLETE A CREDENTIAL. UNFORTUNATELY, AT PRESENT, THESE TRANSFORMATIONAL CREDENTIALS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED RETURNS ARE NOT DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY; INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT DELIVERING THE VALUE THEY COULD AND SHOULD TO MANY POPULATIONS, INCLUDING BLACK, LATINX, INDIGENOUS, UNDERREPRESENTED ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER (AAPI) STUDENTS, STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS, AND WOMEN. AS MANAGING PARTNER OF THE POSTSECONDARY VALUE COMMISSION, A ROLE FOR WHICH IHEP WAS SELECTED IN 2019, IHEP OVERSAW THE COMMISSION'S RESEARCH AND CONVENINGS. IN 2021, IHEP RELEASED THE COMMISSION'S FINDINGS, INCLUDING A VALUE DEFINITION, MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK, ACTION AGENDA, AND FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH. IN ADDITION, IHEP DEVELOPED AN ONLINE, INTERACTIVE TOOL TO PUT THE POWER OF THE FRAMEWORK INTO THE HANDS OF MEDIA, RESEARCHERS, AND POLICYMAKERS AT EVERY LEVEL. ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDE THE LAUNCH OF THE VALUE DATA COLLABORATIVE TO IMPLEMENT THE FRAMEWORK IN SELECTED STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LEADERSHIP OF A ROBUST RESEARCH AND POLICY AGENDA DESIGNED TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE VALUE, AND COLLABORATION WITH KEY PARTNERS ORGANIZATIONS ALSO WORKING TO CATALYZE THE EQUITABLE VALUE MOVEMENT.

REENGAGING RETURNING ADULT STUDENTS AND AWARDING EARNED DEGREES: ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, 39 MILLION ADULTS HAVE COMPLETED SOME COLLEGE, BUT NEEDED TO STOP OUT BEFORE EARNING A DEGREE. IN MANY CASES, STUDENTS ARE LEFT WITH DEBT BUT WITHOUT THE ECONOMIC AND NON-ECONOMIC BENEFITS A CREDENTIAL SHOULD PROVIDE. TO IDENTIFY, REENGAGE, AND SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS, IHEP'S DEGREES WHEN DUE (DWD) INITIATIVE ENGAGED NEARLY 200 INSTITUTIONS - BOTH TWO- AND FOUR-YEARS - IN 23 STATES. OVER THE COURSE OF THREE COHORTS, IHEP HAS BUILT INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO AWARD DEGREES TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE EARNED THEM, REENGAGE FORMER STUDENTS WHO HAVE STOPPED OUT, AND EQUIP STUDENTS WITH DEGREES THAT HELP THEM GET AHEAD IN TODAY'S WORKFORCE.

ADVOCATING FOR STUDENT-CENTERED, DATA-INFORMED, EQUITY-FOCUSED POLICY:IHEP IS A RESPECTED AND RESPECTFUL VOICE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, BACKGROUND, OR CIRCUMSTANCE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. OUR ADVOCACY FOCUSES ON FOUR MAIN ISSUE AREAS: DATA AND TRANSPARENCY; DEGREE COMPLETION; AFFORDABILITY AND NEED-BASED AID; AND EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. AS WE HAVE FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, IHEP CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, KEY COMMITTEE STAFF, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND COALITION MEMBERS TO PROMOTE A JUST AND EQUITABLE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM. THROUGH OUR CONSTRUCTIVE, CLEAR, AND CREDIBLE COMMUNICATIONS WE CONNECT OUR STUDENT-CENTERED, DATA-INFORMED, EQUITY-FOCUSED RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE POLICYMAKERS WITH THE POWER TO ENACT NEEDED CHANGE. IN 2021, OUR EFFORTS INCLUDED HOSTING A CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING AT WHICH MAJOR LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT COLLEGE COMPLETION WAS ANNOUNCED.