Topic: Student learning and outcomes
Blog Post
March 2, 2026
The Benefits of Institutional Debt Relief for Adult Learners
Three Years of Evidence from Northeast Ohio
For the 37 million adults in the US who have completed some college but do not have a degree or credential (SCNC), financial costs are one of the biggest barriers to returning. Institutional debt—unpaid balances that a student owes to their college or university after stopping out—is a specific challenge that many students with SCNC face. The Ohio College Comeback Compact took an innovative approach to re-enrollment by canceling up to $5,000 in institutional debt as students re-enrolled and made…
Upcoming Event
April 8, 2026
The Challenges Facing Higher Education
Economics and Finances
Colleges and universities are facing challenging finances at the moment, both as a result of longer run trends as well as the current administration’s policies. In a lecture on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, explanations and possible responses will both be explored. Ithaka S+R’s Catharine Bond Hill will discuss the impact of the overall economy on colleges and universities. This will include the impact of rising income inequality over the last forty years on colleges and universities, as well as…
Upcoming Event
March 10, 2026
Multi-Campus Model for First-Gen College Student Success
First-generation college students make up more than half of US undergraduates but too often encounter institutional systems not built for their success. The 16-institution Kessler Scholars Collaborative is reshaping first-gen support through a cohort-based model that fosters belonging, growth, and academic success. At SXSW EDU 2026, this panel will share how the Collaborative’s multi-campus partnership model drives institutional change and continuous improvement through robust evaluation while also fostering student engagement across campus boundaries to expand students’ sense of possibility…
Blog Post
February 19, 2026
Practical Ways to Strengthen Communication and Casemaking Around Holistic Credit Mobility
Increasing numbers of postsecondary students pursue non-traditional paths through higher education and accumulate credit from multiple institutions and sources. Expanding access and opportunity for such learners demands rethinking common conceptions about learning structures and developing strategies for implementing reform. Holistic credit mobility is a conceptual framework that places learning at the center of such efforts in order to serve both students and institutions. During virtual convenings in October and December, the holistic credit mobility acceleration cohort discussed and planned…
Blog Post
February 18, 2026
What Postsecondary Employment Outcomes Data Can Teach States About Workforce Alignment and Public Value
Many states looking to invest in higher education to strengthen workforce pipelines and expand economic mobility lack the data needed to target those investments effectively. The Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset helps close that gap by linking postsecondary education to wage and employment data, illuminating how educational pathways connect to workforce outcomes both within and beyond state borders. With support from the PSEO Coalition, Ithaka S+R used PSEO data from South Carolina to explore three key questions, each of which…
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Beyond the Median: Earnings Dispersion Across Programs in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
Which academic programs provide consistent economic returns and which leave graduates facing greater uncertainty? This brief uses Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine earnings dispersion within programs of study in South Carolina. While median earnings are often used to assess program outcomes, they can obscure wide variation among graduates. By analyzing the 25th and 75th percentile earnings, this study highlights which programs provide consistent economic returns and which leave graduates facing greater uncertainty.
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Industry Concentration and Workforce Pathways in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
Which academic programs lead to clear labor market placement, and which lead to more diffuse or uncertain employment outcomes? This Ithaka S+R report uses South Carolina’s Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine how graduates from different fields of study are distributed across industries, in collaboration with the PSEO Coalition.
Research Report
February 18, 2026
Rural Graduate Retention and State Workforce Contributions in South Carolina
Findings from Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Data
This Ithaka S+R report uses Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data to examine how the earnings, employment locations, and contributions to South Carolina’s workforce differ for graduates of rural- and urban-serving institutions in the state. By comparing outcomes for associate and bachelor’s degree graduates, the analysis highlights how the urbanicity of where students study shapes both individual economic trajectories and the extent to which graduates remain employed in South Carolina.
Upcoming Event
March 5, 2026
Faculty and the Transfer Process
The Critical Role of Faculty in Boosting Credit Acceptance and Learner Mobility
Join us for the next session of the Transfer Explorer Learning Network, focusing on the critical role faculty play in advancing learner mobility, as well as common perceptions of their role. We will also touch on how faculty are engaging with credit mobility tools (including but not limited to Transfer Explorer) and how they can be key stakeholders in adopting and promoting these tools on their campuses. Lexa Logue, professor emerita at the City University…
Past Event
February 18, 2026
Focus on Re-Enrollment
Making the Case and Laying the Groundwork
As interest in re-enrolling stopped-out students grows, many colleges and universities face a core challenge: building institutional buy-in for a re-enrollment initiative while ensuring the institution itself is student-ready. An editorial webcast hosted by Inside Higher Ed and InsideTrack will explore the return on investment of re-enrollment—for learners, institutions and communities—and why proving clear ROI is crucial to making the case for an enrollment initiative, including to executive leadership. Expert panelists…
Past Event
February 10, 2026
Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity
Information Session
Join us in this information session on February 10 at 2pm ET to learn about a new Ithaka S+R research initiative to develop a student-informed understanding of basic needs insecurity and improve institutional communication, support, and access to public benefits. This session will share information on the project goals, participation expectations, timeline, and Request for Proposals process, with time for questions. With support from ECMC Foundation, the project will engage a cohort of 10–15 colleges and universities, including…
Blog Post
February 2, 2026
Call for Institutions to Participate in a New Study on Students’ Basic Needs
Ithaka S+R is excited to issue a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity. This multi-year research initiative funded by ECMC Foundation will focus on better understanding how students define and experience basic needs insecurity and how institutions can more effectively align services, outreach, and communication with those perspectives.
Past Event
March 5, 2026
Transfer Explorer Learning Network
How can faculty support students through the transfer process? How can faculty be partners in credit mobility? Join us on March 5 at 3pm ET for the Transfer Explorer Learning Network—a new series of virtual convenings to connect the Transfer Explorer community and share research, practice, and strategies to promote successful transfer outcomes. In this upcoming session, the Ithaka S+R team will share practical ways faculty can support student success and transfer, and…
Past Event
February 6, 2026
Rural Practitioner Spotlight
Ithaka S+R's Rural Student Success Network
Join a Rural Together Practitioner Spotlight highlighting Ithaka S+R’s Rural Student Success Network, a new, national effort designed to strengthen student success and economic mobility at rural-serving institutions. Funded by an ECMC Foundation grant, this two-year initiative brings together 18 rural, bachelor’s degree-granting institutions to tackle some of rural higher education’s most persistent challenges—from supporting community college transfer students and adult learners to aligning programs with local and regional workforce needs. In this session, Ioana G. Hulbert…
Blog Post
January 29, 2026
Expanding Access to Credit for Prior Learning for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Learners
Despite the growing adoption of Credit for Prior Learning in higher education, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners remain disconnected from the advantages CPL can offer. While recent efforts have expanded access to higher education in prison, they have also tended to reinforce a narrow definition of academic learning—one that privileges classroom-based instruction and overlooks the diverse lived experiences that shape learning in carceral environments.
Blog Post
January 21, 2026
Understanding Postsecondary Students’ Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity
Across higher education, there is growing recognition that students’ academic success is deeply connected to whether their basic needs are met. Food, housing, transportation, child care, mental health support, and financial stability all play a critical role in students’ ability to persist and thrive. Yet, despite increased attention to basic needs insecurity, institutions often rely on definitions and service models that do not fully reflect how students themselves understand and experience these challenges, which in turn, influence whether students…
Upcoming Event
March 19, 2026
Examining Employers’ Perceptions of Online Credentials
A Discrete Choice Experiment
At the 2026 Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) Annual Conference, Ithaka S+R’s Bethany Lewis will give a poster presentation focused on an Ithaka S+R study examining whether and to what extent online learners are earning credentials that are valued by the labor market. This study explores the implications of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline the authorization process for institutions offering online education across state lines. To answer these questions, Ithaka…
Past Event
February 15, 2026
Design Thinking for First Year Success
Create, Evaluate, and Transform Programs
At the 45th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, Ithaka S+R’s Carmen Araoz will join Christine Harrington and Michael Sparrow of Morgan State University to explore how design thinking can transform the first-year seminar, orientation, advising, and other FYE programs. During this interactive workshop, participants will learn how this approach led to the creation of a new, open-access self-assessment tool for first-year seminars. Explore how to use this first-year seminar tool on their campus and how to engage in…
Blog Post
January 14, 2026
Improving the Share of Adult Learners at Four-Year Institutions
Why High-Graduation-Rate Institutions Should Enroll More Adult Learners
Higher education institutions will face multiple enrollment challenges in the next decade., including the projected decline in the number of high school graduates after 2025 and more prospective students being open to career options outside of a four-year degree. As they consider how to respond to these challenges, colleges and universities, including those with high-graduation rates, should take a closer look at the population of adult learners, particularly those within their geographic region, to support future enrollment efforts.
Upcoming Event
March 11, 2026
Transfer Credit
The Glue Connecting Learning Across Sectors
Students now earn college credit from many sources—high school dual enrollment, military, work experience, and attendance at multiple colleges—on their path to earn a college degree. While this multi-source learning can provide a major boost to learners, higher education institutions often struggle to efficiently and equitably award credit earned outside of their institution. At SXSW EDU 2026, Emily Tichenor and Abby Chien (Washington Student Achievement Council) will lead a meet-up session that will discuss your transfer initiatives and share…