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At least 25 states now link some portion of their funding for public colleges to a performance formula featuring metrics on completion, equity, employment or other measures. Some research has found an increase in the production of short-term certificates in states that feature performance- or outcomes-based funding policies. That, in turn, has led to concern about unintended consequences given the uneven value of short-term certificates in the job market.
However, generalizing about certificates and performance funding is difficult, according to a new research brief from Research for Action, a nonprofit group that studies the issue. That's because certificate programs vary greatly in length, type and labor-market value. State policies also vary in how they handle certificates in performance formulas. The new brief seeks to measure the effect of performance funding on certificate production, identifying challenges, inconsistencies and recommendations for future research.
"Outcomes-based funding is a high-stakes, complex policy," the group said in a written statement. "This brief provides a detailed overview of certificates in the current OBF policy landscape -- and a road map for how to better capture this complexity in research."
