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Postsec Data

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Resources and Reports

Toward Convergence: A Technical Guide for the Postsecondary Metrics Framework

Over the last decade, the field has identified key metrics that measure postsecondary performance, efficiency, and equity. IHEP’s new report, Toward Convergence: A Technical Guide for the Postsecondary Metrics Framework, reflects the results of this progress and recommends definitions for 31 metrics. It also describes how the data can be used to advance student success. Also see the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s paper, Answering the Call: Institutions and States Lead the Way Toward Better Measures of Postsecondary Performance.

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Postsecondary Metrics Chapters

Each of the chapters below covers one of the three main metric categories: Performance, Efficiency, and Equity. The Performance and Efficiency chapters cover metrics related to college access, progression, completion, cost, and post-college outcomes, and the Equity chapter describes student disaggregates. The full report is available here. A Crosswalk of all metrics and reviewed initiatives is available here. Read a statement on Toward Convergence by IHEP president, Michelle Asha Cooper.

 
Graduated students

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary reviews the impetus for the project and explains the recommended metric definitions.

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Building

Chapter 1: Overview and Background

This section synthesizes the need for better postsecondary data, summarizes the metrics framework, and presents the recommended metric definitions that are designed to measure all students at all institutions for all outcomes.

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Students with books walking

Chapter 2: Cross-cutting Data Parameters

This chapter details the cross-cutting definitions and cohort specifications that impact many of the performance metrics included in the framework.

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Students in library studying

Chapter 3: Performance

Performance metrics measure how well institutions serve students. Within the chapter, the metrics are grouped into categories: access, progression, completion, cost, and post-college outcomes metrics.

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Clock and school supplies

Chapter 4: Efficiency

Efficiency metrics measure how effectively resources are allocated to improve student outcomes, which is especially important in an era of scarce funds. Within the chapter, the metrics are grouped into categories: access, progression, completion, cost, and post-college outcomes metrics.

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Diplomas

Chapter 5: Equity

Equity metrics define the disaggregates necessary to evaluate college access, progression, completion, cost, and post-college outcomes for non-traditional and underserved students.

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Answering the Call Cover

Answering the Call: Institutions and States Lead the Way Toward Better Measures of Postsecondary Performance

This paper from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation outlines field convergence over the past ten years and why we need a common set of core metrics.

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