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Researchers at the Urban Institute used student-level data from Connecticut and Virginia and worked with policy makers in those states to assess their data needs in measuring student outcomes and the performance of colleges.
The resulting series of reports includes an effort to compare colleges' graduation rates by adjusting for student characteristics, a case study and interactive data dashboard on college graduation rates in Virginia, an analysis of equity gaps in graduation rates, an assessment of program-level completion metrics in Virginia, an analysis of earning metrics for graduates using data from Connecticut, and a report with key lessons for policy makers.
"Gaps in college readiness and financial circumstances before matriculation account for an estimated 60 percent of the racial gap in graduation rates at four-year colleges in Virginia, with similar results in Connecticut. Racial segregation between colleges, which cannot be explained by admissions criteria, account for an additional 30 percent and 15 percent of the graduation gap in Virginia and Connecticut, respectively," the report concludes. "To address these inequities, we must adjust and contextualize student-level higher education data. With better college performance measures, researchers can produce more relevant and actionable information for policymakers."
