Federal policy was designed to meet the needs of students during the 1960’s and ‘70’s. We need to modernize and reform federal higher education policy to meet today’s challenges and better serve today’s students.
The Challenge
The Solution: A New System of Higher Learning
Achieving a system of higher learning requires bringing together bipartisan ideas and refocusing federal policies on what today’s students need. We need better connections between providers and the credentials they issue so that students do not need to recertify learning they already have. And we need federal policies that create and support transparent pathways to success, incentivize innovation, protect students and taxpayers, and improve outcomes.
Featured Issue Briefs
Today’s Students
Today’s students come from all walks of life. They are parents, working adults, veterans, online students and first-generation college-goers, following many pathways through higher education. They need a system that is flexible, affordable and responsive to their needs. Federal policy must reflect who today’s students are.
Quality & Outcomes
High-quality outcomes are paramount, but current quality assurance approaches are inadequate. The nation needs a system of quality assurance based on high-quality learning and focused on students and their outcomes. Federal policy must raise the bar for quality, promote innovation and shift from inputs to outcomes.