Data-Driven Revolution: Beth Akers on Reshaping Higher Education

From the Inside Sources Podcast

The big picture

Beth Akers, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses the critical role of data in improving higher education outcomes and decision-making.

Key takeaways

• Data transparency is crucial: Akers emphasizes the need for comprehensive data on student outcomes to help prospective students make informed decisions about their education.
• College Transparency Act: This proposed legislation aims to require colleges to collect and report detailed data on enrollment, completion rates, and post-college earnings.
• Addressing “data blind spots”: Current limitations in higher education data make it difficult to assess if institutions are serving all students equitably.
• Return on investment: Better data can help students evaluate the potential value of their college education and choose programs more likely to lead to successful outcomes.
• Balancing privacy and transparency: Akers acknowledges the need to protect student privacy while advocating for increased data availability to improve educational outcomes.

What’s next

As debates around student loan forgiveness continue, the push for greater accountability and transparency in higher education is likely to gain momentum. The implementation of data-driven policies could significantly impact how students, families, and policymakers approach higher education decisions in the future.