State-level postsecondary education governance has experienced a lull in successful reform efforts since the turn of the century. However, in 2020, the Utah System of Higher Education and Utah System of Technical Colleges were formally merged following a multi-year effort by state legislators and higher education officials. Framed by the theory of…

Each year, millions of students access financial aid to attend postsecondary programs by completing the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). Completing a FAFSA determines students' eligibility for Pell grants, federal work-study, and federal loans and thus smooths more students' paths to attaining bachelor's and associate degree…

The report "State Approaches to Short-Term Postsecondary Credentials: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Gaps" explores how state policymakers engage with short-term postsecondary credentials, highlighting key policy levers such as state authorization, consumer protections, financial aid, and quality standards. It examines the…

Failure to complete is an unfortunately common occurrence in the nation's community colleges, and research demonstrates that not completing a credential is associated with negative student outcomes. In response to these issues, the Guided Pathways institutional redesign reform movement has spread rapidly across the United States over the past…

"Beyond Good Intentions" provides a guide for states to craft equity-driven policies that are specific, actionable, measurable and well funded. It outlines four major steps states should take when considering and creating new policy: (1) Examine the Data to Set the Goal for the Policy: Specific types of data to consider when identifying…

Higher education remains a pivotal driver of social and economic mobility, with college graduates earning significantly more over their lifetimes compared to their peers without a degree. However, the benefits of higher education remain out of reach for an increasing number of students, as enrollments decline and stopout rates climb. In recent…

This resource includes state statutes and regulations that explicitly allow concealed firearms on campus, explicitly prohibit firearm possession on campus, and statute or regulations that allow guns in locked vehicles on college campuses. In some states, court cases have overturned or altered statewide or systemwide policies related to guns on…

This article presents a synthesized historiography of higher education in American prisons, exploring interactions of federal, state, and institution-level policies within six specific states: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Texas. We define considerations for researchers, policymakers, and advocates regarding…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) continue to face significant barriers in postsecondary education, despite federal mandates such as IDEA, ADA, and Section 504. This study explores the role of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and systemic transition support in mitigating disparities in enrollment, retention, and degree completion for SWDs.…

This document is part of the "50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Governance Structures," which provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. This document shows which states have a single statewide coordinating board/agency or…

To understand the complex nature of learning recognition and credit transfer in American postsecondary education and examine the systemic barriers to entry many students face as they navigate its institutions, Ithaka S+R conducted a series of qualitative interviews in fall 2024 with state and system-level leaders in Idaho, Illinois, Ohio, and the…

State governments are regularly reexamining the statewide board governance arrangements over public higher education, enacting governance reforms that change the structure or authority granted to boards by state legislatures. While previous research has studied governance reforms, there is a lack of recent studies on such reforms and what…

This document is part of the "50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Governance Structures," which provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. This document provides the following information regarding agencies and system offices…

This document is part of the "50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Governance Structures," which provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. This document provides the following information regarding other postsecondary system and…

This document is part of the "50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Governance Structures," which provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. This document provides the following information regarding membership organizations for each…