3.1: Completion

Increase success in and completion of quality postsecondary education.

Other Information:

To ensure that America’s students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college and the 21st-century global marketplace, the Department will continue to support college preparatory programs and provide financial aid to make college more affordable. Coordinated efforts with states, institutions, and accrediting agencies will strengthen American higher education and hold institutions accountable for the quality of their educational programs, as well as their students’ academic performance and graduation rates. Targeting additional support to students studying in fields that are in high demand internationally and in areas of critical need in America will prepare graduates to effectively compete for jobs in the global economy and help keep our nation strong. Strategy 1. Increase the transition of high school graduates to postsecondary education by supporting states and other entities in the development and implementation of programs of study for high-skill, high-demand careers. The Department will support states and other entities in the development of coherent, articulated sequences of rigorous academic and technical course work beginning in high school that lead to an associate’s degree, industry-recognized certificate, or bachelor’s degree at the postsecondary level. To help make college more affordable and encourage high school students to enroll in rigorous academic programs, ACG awards will continue to supplement the Pell grant awards of first- and second-year college students who successfully completed rigorous high school programs. Furthermore, the Department will support activities that serve as a primary driver for the creation and evaluation of model programs of study in high-skill, high-demand careers. Strategy 2. Maintain high levels of college enrollment and persistence, while increasing the affordability of and accessibility to higher education through effective college preparation and grant, loan, and campus-based aid programs. By providing Pell grants, federal student loans, and other forms of financial and academic support, the Department will encourage students nationwide to enroll in higher education and complete their studies. The Department will help students and their families by increasing the quantity and accessibility of information about college costs and funding opportunities, streamlining the financial aid application process, and providing earlier notification of aid eligibility. Strategy 3. Prepare more graduates for employment in areas of vital interest to the United States, especially in critical-need languages, mathematics, and the sciences. The Department will encourage students to pursue course work in critical-need foreign languages, mathematics, and the sciences by awarding grants to undergraduate and graduate students in these fields. The SMART grant program will award grants to Pell-eligible third- and fourth-year bachelor’s degree students majoring in the fields of the sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering and critical foreign languages. In addition, priority will be given to those languages and world regions identified as most critical to national interests. Strategy 4. Improve the academic, administrative, and fiscal stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities. Grants and loans will be provided to enable these institutions of higher education to better serve their students and their communities. Strategy 5. Strengthen the accountability of postsecondary education institutions through accreditation, evaluation, and monitoring. The Department will work closely with states, institutions, and accrediting agencies to promote the development and consistent application of clear standards for recognition. We will collaborate with these partners to identify and implement ways to include student learning outcomes in the accreditation process. Increased emphasis will be placed on oversight of postsecondary grant and loan programs, in order to ensure compliance with program regulations and the effective use of federal funds. Additionally, the Department will redesign its college search Web site to help students and their families obtain information that will allow them to make informed choices about postsecondary education opportunities based on their individual needs. Strategy 6. Expand the use of data collection instruments, such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), to assess student outcomes. The Department will collaborate with the higher education community to develop and refine practices for collecting and reporting data on student achievement. To encourage information sharing, the Department will provide matching funds to colleges, universities, and states that collect and publicly report student learning outcomes. Strategy 7. Promote and disseminate information regarding promising practices in community colleges. The Department will design criteria for identifying successful community colleges. Possible indicators of success include dual enrollment/early college programs; meaningful partnerships with four-year institutions or industry; developmental education programs that work for students; high transfer rates to four-year institutions; career pathways that are well-articulated and meaningful for high school-to-college and adult education-to-career; and the use of data to drive institutional decisionmaking. The Department will broadly disseminate innovative practices and program details and will fund colleges to replicate successful programs and initiatives in other locations. External Factors -- College prices and costs. Many factors affecting tuition and fees, room and board, and other costs and revenues are beyond the Department’s control. These factors include state appropriations and costs related to salaries, facilities and maintenance expenses, health care, and insurance. The Department will work with institutions to ensure that this information is widely available in a user-friendly format, enabling students and their families to better plan for higher education expenses. Higher Education Act reauthorization. The Department continues to anticipate Congressional reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which may have a significant effect on the Department’s postsecondary education programs.

Stakeholder(s):

• Postsecondary Students

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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