Report Finds Bipartisan Consensus on Areas of Higher Education Accountability

Title: Mapping Out Common Ground on Accountability in Higher Education

Source: Third Way and the American Enterprise Institute

Authors: Lanae Erickson and Frederick M. Hess

The American Enterprise Institute and Third Way recently released the results of a survey examining the views of higher education experts on accountability, identifying areas of agreement and disagreement between partisan groups.

The authors found bipartisan agreement on the perceived lack of transparency into student outcomes, concern over high levels of non-completion, and the belief that institutions often are more incentivized to enroll students than to prepare them for the workforce. On the other hand, participants disagreed on the federal government’s role in accountability, with Democrats favoring a “more robust consumer protection role” than Republicans.

The study also explores perspectives on accountability metrics and the role of accreditors.

Click here to read the full report.

—Ben Schaap