Topic: Educational Transformation
Blog Post
November 13, 2025
New Report Explores Online Enrollment Trends in the Era of State Authorization Reciprocity
Prior work by Ithaka S+R found that the introduction of SARA expanded online enrollment, especially among institutions that were early adopters. However, less is known about how SARA has influenced the composition of enrollment, particularly for students enrolled in out-of-state, exclusively online programs, the type of program most likely influenced by SARA’s implementation. Using nationally representative survey data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this report documents who is enrolling in different program modalities, and how those enrollment patterns…
Research Report
November 13, 2025
Exploring Online Enrollment Trends in the Era of State Authorization Reciprocity
By 2020, one in four undergraduates were enrolled in exclusively online programs, double the number enrolled in 2012. The policy landscape concerning online education changed markedly with the establishment of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) in 2014. This regulatory change made it easier for institutions to offer online programs to students who reside out of state while completing the program. Using nationally representative survey data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this report documents who is enrolling in…
Blog Post
November 6, 2025
What Does It Mean to Be First-Gen?
Insights from the Kessler Scholars Collaborative Fall 2025 First-Year Student Survey
The term “first-generation college student” was first introduced by the TRIO community in the late 1970s and has since been widely recognized within higher education. Today, approximately 8.2 million undergraduates, or 54 percent of all students, identify as first-generation. Most colleges and universities define first-gen students as those “whose parents or guardians did not complete a baccalaureate degree,” in line with the federal TRIO definition.
Upcoming Event
November 21, 2025
State Uses of IPEDS Data
Insights for Strengthening the National Postsecondary Data Infrastructure
Hosted by Ithaka S+R and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), with support from Lumina Foundation, this webinar will present findings from a new report, State Uses of IPEDS Data: Insights for Strengthening the National Postsecondary Data Infrastructure, on November 21 at 11am-12pm ET. Liam Sweeney (Ithaka S+R) will share results from a national survey and interviews with state higher education agencies exploring how states use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for accountability, funding, and policy…
Blog Post
November 4, 2025
The Liberal Arts in Challenging Times
Webinar Recording
Last month, I had the opportunity to take part in “The Liberal Arts in Challenging Times,” a webinar that explored the value of a liberal arts and sciences education and strategies for strengthening it across the higher education sector. As part of the session, I highlighted key findings from our recent report, Measuring the Economic Value of a Liberal Education, and suggested some ways to conceptualize what a “liberal education” encompasses, its impact on civic engagement and career adaptability,…
Blog Post
September 25, 2025
More Than a Major
Defining the Features of a Liberal Education
Prior research on the value of a liberal arts and sciences education has traditionally relied on two proxies for whether students receive a liberal education: what they majored in or what type of institution they attended. We contend that this view is limited. Rather than assume that major and institutional type are adequate proxies, our 2020 research led us to develop a clearer, more comprehensive definition and measure of a liberal education.
Past Event
October 22, 2025
The Liberal Arts in Challenging Times
Join us for a conversation on the future of the liberal arts in today’s uncertain and challenging times, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET. Hear from leaders in higher education as they discuss the value of a liberal arts education and strategies for strengthening it across the higher education sector. Register today Catharine Bond Hill, managing director of Ithaka S+R and former president of Vassar College, will…
Upcoming Event
November 14, 2025
Decoding the Path to a College Degree with Transparent and Actionable Credit Mobility Data
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Conference
Far too often students returning to higher education or moving between higher education institutions encounter significant barriers in transferring course credits and receiving recognition for prior learning. Part of this struggle is the siloed and opaque nature of information about how prior learning will be accepted and applied toward a credential upon transfer to a new institution. This session at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference will share insights on Transfer Explorer and CUNY Transfer Explorer, with…
Blog Post
July 16, 2025
Introducing the LASEE Framework
Quantifying Students’ Exposure to a Liberal Education and Exploring its Value
Ithaka S+R, supported by the Mellon Foundation, has been working since 2019 to clearly define, measure, and communicate the value of a liberal education, an effort that has become increasingly urgent in the current political landscape and climate. Today, we are excited to share a new report and accompanying resources from our latest study examining the economic value of a liberal education.
Research Report
July 16, 2025
Measuring the Economic Value of a Liberal Education
This report offers a nuanced, student-centered perspective on the economic and educational value of a liberal education. Using the Liberal Arts and Sciences Educational Experience (LASEE) Framework and rich, longitudinal student-level data from public colleges and universities, we examined how exposure to core liberal arts features relates to student outcomes.
Blog Post
July 7, 2025
Preparing Students for an AI-Infused Workforce
Reflections from the University of Baltimore’s 2025 AI Summit
On June 3, 2025, the University of Baltimore hosted its second AI Summit, organized by the university’s Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Technology (CELTT). The event, as described by the organizers, was “an in-depth exploration of artificial intelligence’s transformative impact across sectors, with a particular focus on workforce development, educational adaptation, and responsible innovation.” A key strength of the summit was its commitment to bridging the gap between what is happening with AI in the classroom and…
Blog Post
July 1, 2025
Informing Postsecondary Education Policy
How Researchers Are Using PSEO Data
In "How Researchers Use the PSEO Data to Study Postsecondary Outcomes and Inform Policy," we examine how scholars, systems, and agencies leverage PSEO to answer key policy questions. This report was commissioned by the PSEO Coalition, which brings together state, system, and institutional partners committed to expanding access to and use of PSEO data as a foundational tool for data-informed decision-making.
Research Report
July 1, 2025
How Researchers Use PSEO Data to Study Postsecondary Outcomes and Inform Policy
A report for the PSEO Coalition from Ithaka S+R
This literature review summarizes key findings from research and practical applications related to PSEO data. By examining how PSEO data has been used in higher education research and policy, this review lays the groundwork for a national research agenda that strengthens understanding of the links between education and workforce connections, student success, and the economic value of postsecondary credentials.
Blog Post
June 24, 2025
Understanding the Federal Role in Higher Education Accreditation
In early June, the US Department of Education (ED) notified Columbia University’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), that Columbia had violated federal antidiscrimination laws. The announcement sparked a wave of strong reactions and discussions about the motivation of such a move. In response, we started to receive questions about what this could mean for Columbia University and for higher education more broadly. Since college accreditation rarely receives this level of public attention, many people, even…
Past Event
September 10, 2025
The Chronicle’s Strategic-Leadership Program for Deans
Executive-Level Skills for Leading Through Tubulence
Ithaka S+R’s Martin Kurzweil will be leading a program alongside Carolyn Dever, George Justice, and Liz McMillen for the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Strategic-Leadership Program for Deans will involve discussions and workshops about the leadership roles of college deans and how to navigate the changing landscape of higher education, with seminars and workshops on fundraising, crisis management, networking, and much more. Register and learn more about the event, scheduled for September 2025.
Blog Post
June 16, 2025
An Endowment Tax Alternative
Estimating the Impact of a Five Percent Spend Policy
Currently, a set of the country’s wealthiest colleges and universities is subject to a 1.4 percent tax on net investment earnings. Over the past few months, several legislative proposals have taken aim at significantly increasing this tax, known colloquially as the “endowment tax.” The latest version, which was included in the reconciliation bill passed by the House in late May, includes a graduated rate structure that goes up to a 21 percent tax, depending on the size of the…
Past Event
July 11, 2025
Holistic Solutions for Mobile Postsecondary Students
At the Education Commission of the States National Forum on Education Policy, Ithaka S+R’s Martin Kurzweil will participate in a moderated panel discussion on holistic solutions for mobile postsecondary students. The panel will use a framework for holistic credit mobility to guide a conversation with speakers from Ohio and South Carolina, both of which are part of a new community of practice on credit mobility and/or were featured in a recent research case study highlighting promising policy, practices, and…
Blog Post
May 22, 2025
Undertaking Accreditation Reform
Possible Roles for NACIQI
A recent executive order (EO) has shone a new spotlight on postsecondary institutional accreditation, an area of higher education that traditionally operates in relative obscurity. Invoking increased accountability, reduced regulatory burdens, and enhanced institutional innovation, the EO seeks to streamline the accreditation process, align post-college outcomes with labor market needs, and allow for greater flexibility in the “who and how” of institutional accreditation. The accreditation system this EO aims to reform was established by the Higher Education…
Blog Post
May 20, 2025
Goal Refining and Progression within the Pennsylvania Adult Learner Re-Engagement Community of Practice
In December 2024, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, we launched the Adult Learner Re-Engagement Community of Practice. Since then, participants from colleges and universities across Pennsylvania have come together regularly to share resources and expertise as they work to re-enroll students with some college credits but no credential. Because engagement with adult learners can involve multiple departments and people at different times, goal-setting has been important in helping participants structure and track their efforts. Together we…
Past Event
May 20, 2025
Providing Credit Transfer Visibility to Improve Credit Mobility
In a Tuesday Session with DXtera Institute, Emily Tichenor and Chris Buonocore from Ithaka S+R/JSTOR Labs will discuss the Transfer Explorer project. This spring ITHAKA launched a new, public, non-profit, national credit mobility website to help address the many challenges college students face when they move between institutions or attempt to transfer credits they earned in high school or elsewhere. Currently in its beta release, Transfer Explorer will expand in 2025 to contain data from a growing number of…