Report and disclose: State oversight of institutional performance in higher education

Abstract

In recent years, most proposals to reform quality assurance in higher education have targeted the federal government’s role in overseeing postsecondary institutions. In this context, it is easy to forget that state governments play a significant role too, through a process called state authorization. Using a comprehensive survey of more than 5,500 regulatory documents from 69 state authorizing agencies across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, this report explores how state authorizers monitor the performance of postsecondary institutions: when and how must postsecondary institutions report information on their outcomes? What types of outcomes information do agencies require? How, if at all, do agencies disclose that information to students, parents, and the public? Are there repercussions for poor-performing institutions?