Podcasts about College Scorecard

One should not take on what is potentially the biggest expense of a lifetime lightly. Motivated students can absolutely make sure college pays off academically, socially, and emotionally; financially, though, can be a big question mark. Amy and Mike invited educator Gage Mersereau to define the concept of true college ROI. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does ROI mean in the context of college? What are the major factors to determine your true college investment? Why should plans after graduation factor into college plans? Why should ROI factors be understood before submitting college applications? Why doesn't net price apply to all applicants? MEET OUR GUEST Gage Mersereau is the CEO and Founder of GradBetter, a company focused on simplifying college planning and affordability for counselors and families. With over 15 years of experience in the field, Gage has dedicated his career to helping families find their college fit. Prior to founding GradBetter, he built ConnectSports, a youth sports recruiting platform that empowered 100,000 high school athletes to discover, connect with, and commit to their college of choice. Gage began his career on Wall Street, working as an M&A banker and in private equity. Find Gage at https://www.gradbetter.com/. LINKS Free college ROI calculator  How the flawed earnings information in the College Scorecard misleads students (opinion) Tuition Discount Rates at Private Colleges and Universities Top 50 Percent RELATED EPISODES RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN COLLEGE THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE CONSIDERING COLLEGE FINANCIAL FIT FIRST WHAT IS A NET PRICE CALCULATOR? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

While a college education represents far more than just job training, a substantial return on that tuition investment certainly doesn't hurt. Amy and Mike invited policy expert Michael Itzkowitz to compare the most popular and most lucrative college majors. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. Do college graduates tend to earn more than non-graduates? 2. How should we evaluate the return on investment of college? 3. Which college majors currently pay the most right out of school? 4. How does this list compare to the most popular college majors? 5. How do timeline and future education impact calculations of ROI? MEET OUR GUEST With 10 years of experience in federal education policy, Michael Itzkowitz has held senior roles inside and outside of government. His work and expertise are often cited by national news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and NBC.   Prior to beginning the HEA Group, Michael worked as a Presidential Appointee in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education, assuming a number of roles in K-12 and higher education. Most notably, he was the Director of the Administration's College Scorecard, an initiative focused on higher education transparency and accountability. The Scorecard, announced by the President in February 2013, is the largest release of higher education data ever by the Federal government.   Michael also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education, where he helped oversee the policy and administrative functions of the office, which includes over 180 employees across three divisions that disburse approximately $2.5 billion in grants and establish policy for nearly $120 billion in Federal student aid every year. There, he led the office's Organizational Performance team and directed policy initiatives on accreditation, minority-serving institutions, financial aid award letters, and data transparency.   Find Michael at https://www.theheagroup.com. LINKS Which College Majors Pay the Most? Evaluating College ROI College Scorecard RELATED EPISODES DO COLLEGE MAJORS MATTER? STRATEGIES FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE MAJOR ON TIME RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

This week on a special episode of “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Michael Itzkowitz, the former director of the College Scorecard under the Obama administration, in a wide-ranging discussion focused on data and accountability metrics in higher education. Michael, the founder and president of the Higher Education Advisory Group and a non-resident senior fellow at Public Agenda, goes on to share his insights on varying metrics and outcome data, as well as his thoughts on short-term Pell Grants. Hugh catches listeners up on some new institutional oversight from Federal Student Aid and developments concerning the 2024-25 FAFSA.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced its newest attempt to develop a list designed to call out higher ed institutions with poor outcomes and lower return on investment for graduates. Following in the steps of Gainful Employment (see Episode 15 of EdUp Insights) and the College Scorecard, the government seeks once again to provide a way to rank institutions according to the value they provide. Here's the rub: Value based on what? The range of financial and, importantly, non-financial benefits of higher education is vast and hotly debated. But more to the point, why are these government interventions necessary? They clearly do not fix the problem, and don't address the real issue: Accountability. There is no consensus on what outcomes need to be measured and why. That is, there is no consensus on the definition of the value of higher education. So, if there is to be accountability, we have to ask, “Accountability for what?” and “Accountability to whom?” Good luck with that. EdUp Insights with Bill Pepicello is part of the EdUp Experience Podcast Network

Michael Itzkowitz is the guru of College Scorecard. While working for the Department of Education, he noticed that some institutions were providing degrees to their students, but weren't leaving them with well-paying jobs or the ability to pay down their loans. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Michael about how his work now focuses on return-on-investment (ROI) and putting out information that helps ensure students get the best bang-for-their-buck. Michael Itzkowitz is Senior Fellow of Higher Education at Third Way, a think tank focused on working across the aisle to reform policy on issues including education. Michael tells us how he came up with an ROI metric and how this metric determines the time it will take a student to recover their costs spent on higher education. Michael and Dr. Altmire also discuss how these ROI metrics compare across public and private sectors, where the data stands on cosmetology programs, and the surprising data Michael discovered on which schools are actually providing the best ROI to students.To learn more about Career Education Colleges & Universities, visit our website. 

Dr. Andrew Gillen, Senior Policy Analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss why the College Scorecard might start making program reputation an even stronger signal for students than the overall brand reputation of a university.

Reported by Inside Higher Ed, the Equitable Value Explorer is specifically designed to discover inequities in the higher education experience.

The Wall Street Journal's investigations team is tackling the student loan debt crisis from multiple angles, including digging into questionable recruiting and loan practices by top schools. Case in point: the University of Southern California's online graduate program in social work. It charged $115,000 for a master's last year. The school offered very little grant aid, so the many students who couldn't afford that high tuition were encouraged to borrow. The median debt of recent graduates who borrowed: a whopping $112,000. The debtors' median salary in their first two years after graduation was less than half that: just $52,000. Data journalist Andrea Fuller explains how the WSJ team found unexpected stories while crunching the available federal numbers on what students and parents owe, and how they came up with estimates of the short-term returns on big-ticket degree programs. She shares tips for identifying red flags in College Scorecard and loan data, and suggestions for how reporters can avoid perpetuating a false narrative that postsecondary education is never worth the cost. 

The Wall Street Journal's investigations team is tackling the student loan debt crisis from multiple angles, including digging into questionable recruiting and loan practices by top schools. Case in point: the University of Southern California's online graduate program in social work. It charged $115,000 for a master's last year. The school offered very little grant aid, so the many students who couldn't afford that high tuition were encouraged to borrow. The median debt of recent graduates who borrowed: a whopping $112,000. The debtors' median salary in their first two years after graduation was less than half that: just $52,000. Data journalist Andrea Fuller explains how the WSJ team found unexpected stories while crunching the available federal numbers on what students and parents owe, and how they came up with estimates of the short-term returns on big-ticket degree programs. She shares tips for identifying red flags in College Scorecard and loan data, and suggestions for how reporters can avoid perpetuating a false narrative that postsecondary education is never worth the cost. 

Reported by Inside Higher Ed, the College Scorecard's program-level metrics may help program reputation become an even stronger signal than brand reputation. Because now, you can search for a specific degree program and compare graduate success rates, including income, debt, and more among institutions across the nation when making your college selection.

Reported by Inside Higher Ed, students can now see the percentage of student borrowers who fall into different loan repayment statuses after entering repayment. This long asked for brand new addition to the College Scorecard is designed to help better understand real student outcomes as a very helpful indicator on debt repayment ability.

On this episode, we discuss our country's student loan crisis and some proposed solutions. We also talk about the U.S. House of Representatives voting to decriminalize cannabis, how a federal judge restored DACA, students struggling to learn in a virtual environment, and more. DON'T FORGET to donate to Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock's campaigns! Find us on Facebook and Twitter at ThinkProPod! If you would like to email us, you can reach us at thinkpropod@gmail.com. If you like our podcast, make sure to leave a 5-star review! Useful links from the episode:House Passes Bill to Decriminalize CannabisDr. Fauci Says He’s Accepted a Job as Joe Biden’s Chief Medical AdvisorFederal judge restores DACA, orders DHS to accept first-time applications from immigrantsSchools confront 'off the rails' numbers of failing gradesIn new lawsuit, Texas contests election results in Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, PennsylvaniaRising Student Loan Debt and the Great RecessionWho Owes the Most Student Debt?Dept. of Education’s College Scorecard shows where student loans pay off… and where they don’tBiden shouldn’t listen to Schumer and Warren on student loansStudent Debt Is a Racial Equity Issue. Here’s How Mass Debt Relief Can Address It.2017 lawsuit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against Navient Student Loans | Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

When choosing a college, students and families often turn to popular rankings to help inform their decisions. Rather than focus on test scores and how difficult it is to gain entry, The Washington Monthly gives schools points for factors that benefit society as well as individual students, like upward mobility for low-income graduates and encouraging civic engagement on campus and after graduation. Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris discusses the new rankings, including how the formula might change next year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Which colleges were the surprise top performers in this year’s rankings? Why are relatively few programs doing well at graduating Black students into well-paying jobs in their chosen majors? What are some successful approaches schools are taking to boost voter registration among new students? Glastris also explains how reporters make better use of the data available from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard?

Something that we talk about a lot at His & Her Money is student loans. With so many people out there struggling with their student loan debt, we know it can be overwhelming on a good day, but especially in today's uncertain times. Federal student loans are currently on pause until September, but then what? When school is officially back in session, where do you go from there? Well, for today's episode of the His & Her Money Show, we brought in somebody who's a bit of an expert on the whole subject of student loans and everything -- we mean EVERYTHING -- that comes with it. Robert Farrington is here dropping facts and wisdom on tackling your student loan debt and coming up with your own effective, stress-free approach to knocking them out as fast and smooth as possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED The College Investor | thecollegeinvestor.com/ LoanBuddy | loanbuddy.us/ Student Loan Forgiveness Options |https://thecollegeinvestor.com/578/ways-to-get-student-loan-forgiveness/ Financial Aid Programs By State | https://thecollegeinvestor.com/student-loan-financial-aid-by-state/ Student Aid Resources | studentaid.gov/ College Scorecard | collegescorecard.ed.gov/

In this episode you will hear: (08:53) In this week’s news segment, an article from Huffington Post, I Was Forced To Get Married To Finish College. Here’s Why And What Has To Change, by Samantha Huls. Estranged from her parents and as an only resort, Huls married her boyfriend to declare herself as an independent to secure federal financial aid.   (21:00) We are in Chapter 111 of 171 Answers and Mark talks about the three different sources of money for college. He also discusses the various ways merit scholarships are meted out.   (33:23) This week’s question is from Suzie in Brazile and she wants to know how to best position international students for American universities. Suzie had a series of questions, so rather than do a deep dive into one question, Anika asks Mark all seven questions that Suzie has.   (50:21) Mark kicks off his interview with Edan Shahar, Founder and CEO of Test Innovators, in ‘What is misunderstood about standardized testing’, Part I   (01:02:12) Mark’s recommended resource of the week is the College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov)   (01:14:12) College spotlight: Whitman College ()   Don't forget to send your questions related to any and every facet of the college process to: questions@yourcollegeboundkid.com If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! We are excited to give our listeners a chance to play a role in shaping what topics we discuss, as well as what guests we have on our podcast. You can let your voice be heard by completing this survey. Just put the following link in your browser and give us your honest feedback. We thank you in advance. Every episode of Your College-Bound Kid will align with a chapter from the book 171 Answers to the Most-Asked College Admission Questions. To get a copy go to Amazon and click:   If you want to place a bulk order, you will save money by purchasing this book at 171answers.com. Every penny goes to The Atlanta Mission, a Christian organization that helps over 1000 homeless residents every day.  If you want to see what future episodes will discuss in the book chapter section,  just go to 171answers.com and then click the red button "See exactly what 171 Answers covers"

P27 – Washington Update with Tom Netting Episode Summary The Department of Education published final regulations that had achieved unprecedented consensus prior to the reporting deadline for the master calendar. However, two of the three regulations were not finalized in time for the publishing deadline and so will not go into effect on July 1, 2020 but at a later date. The House Democrats completed their comprehensive proposal to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. However, this act is not assured of getting out of the House due to a significant price tag. Many are watching the Senate to see if negotiations between Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Patty Murray will serve as the impetus for passage of this long-delayed update. Department of Education Regulatory Activity Neg Reg 2019 While the Neg Reg 2019 discussions led to consensus on three areas -- innovation, accreditation, and distance/online education -- only one, accreditation, made it through to completion by the Department of Education in time for publication in the Federal Register by Nov. 1.  The other two packages did not make it to the public comment portion of the process. The package dealing with accreditation and the roles of the various members of the triad (the federal government, the state-level department and the accrediting agency) made it through for publication, and most stakeholders believe the changes are good.  They include: Updating the process for reviewing accrediting bodies. Giving accreditors more flexibility when looking at new programs within institutions to improve innovation vs. “hard and fast” rules. Giving institutions and accreditors more latitude with distance education, as well as the state’s roles and delivery of online education Redefining regular and substantive interaction to give people more access to education at times that are more productive for the individual (think Western Governors University). Encouraging policymakers and accreditors to take institutional and programmatic differences into account during accreditation. Offering new guidance on teach-out plans and the roles and responsibilities of accreditors, states and institutions with regard to these plans. Protecting students’ access to their information and the processes involved when institutions close their doors at the institutional, state and accreditor level. These improvements on innovation could accelerate students’ progress and get them into the workforce more quickly (which costs them less). The higher education community – primarily the publics and the private non-profits -- have been looking for these regulatory changes. In comparison, the failure to publish the other two proposals (or even go out to the public for comment) was disappointing, even though there are legitimate reasons for this. Department officials said that general counsel and other staff found problematic issues in relation to the broader context when they took a hard look at the proposals.  For example, department officials had concerns about how to measure competency-based education using the credit hour.   There were many areas that were not considered because they are divisive and fly in the face of regulatory and congressional personnel who are far more familiar with the old model (face-to-face/bricks and mortar).  These areas require groups to look at issues from new perspectives, e.g., delivery, cost, accelerating students’ education to get them into the workforce quicker by taking into account a student’s previous experience (CBE), and work study and apprenticeships. This can be difficult for individuals who haven’t participated in programs outside of traditional delivery systems or in non-traditional work study opportunities that involve mentorships.  For these policymakers, the proposed changes were seen to be jarring. The changes to the consensus packages will require taking them back to the original participants in the process to attempt to regain consensus – potentially pushing this out to next year or even later because of the upcoming presidential election. Title IX and Cleary Act Changes Despite its inability to publish two consensus packages, the Department is getting closer to rolling out two additional regulatory packages – changes to Title IX and Cleary Act. There has been considerable commentary and discussion on the Title IX package – over 150,000 comments. The public comments are about the victim’s rights, the adjudication process, and the investigation process in relation to the rights of both the accused and the accuser. The Education Department has culled through the comments, and has sent the guidelines to OMB for its review, the final step before publishing it in the Federal Register (and making it official).  OMB has scheduled meetings through mid-December with multiple interested parties.   The Department is looking to publish a final rule in the next few months. However, some House Democrats as well as Sens. Murray and Durbin have concerns about the proposed Title IX changes and are using those concerns to hold up reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Higher Education Act Reauthorization of the Higher Education Authorization Act is moving forward in the House. The proposed legislation is designed, among other things, to protect minority-serving institutions, as Hispanic-serving institutions and other groups of institutions were facing the end of funding. The House Democrats are proposing reauthorization with major changes. Some of the proposals that have attracted major attention include Partnership programs between the state and federal governments that would lead to free community college education; A significant revamping of the roles and responsibilities of the Department in relation to the direct loan program; Significant changes in assessment; and A review of financial need to broaden the ability for students to get financial assistance through Pell Grants. The plan also would provide a greater amount of consumer information but also would consolidate that information under the Net Price Calculator and the College Scorecard that would be accessible to both consumers and legislators. Another section of the proposal focuses on for-profit higher education, especially focusing on recent institutional closures. The Democrats are seeking to legislate gainful employment for all programs. There also are a number of areas focused on accountability of the for-profit higher education community, including establishing an oversight and enforcement entity to review for-profit institutions.  The Pell Grants for short-term programs and incarcerated students would not be eligible to participate. The Ability to Benefit program that serves students who don’t have a high school diploma or GED who can show the ability to matriculate by completing six credit hours was modified to bring greater access. The Democrats also looked at regulatory issues around Title IX and specifically prohibited the Secretary of Education from publishing any revisions to Title IX. This bill, which underwent a three-day mark-up, also has other changes, including reframing substance abuse into substance misuse. The bill was voted out of committee with a straight party-line vote. The next step is to take the bill to the House floor, but there is no guarantee that this bill will make it out of the House since there is a considerable price tag attached – some estimates are north of $400 million in new spending, and much of this money would go to institutions serving minority student populations. This leaves a number of moderate and fiscally conservative Democrats wondering whether they can support this legislation because of its price tag. In the Senate, Sen. Alexander is looking to create a legislative vehicle that will burnish his policymaking legacy through passage of the Higher Education Act before his retirement from public office. He reached out to House Democrats with input on their bill in an attempt to make the proposal palatable to both Democrats and Republicans. These include FAFSA simplification, Pell Grants for short-term programs and Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals. The House Democrat and the Alexander plans are being analyzed to determine if a compromise can be developed. Several individuals in Washington D.C. are working toward this, even though the nation is heading into an election year. Three Takeaways for Higher Education Leaders: Take a look at the changes in relation to the accreditation process. This is a divergence from the norm and many institutional leaders will approve of these changes. Being able to think outside of the box and outside of the rigid standards will encourage innovation both online and for bricks-and-mortar institutions. Watch whether Sen. Alexander and Sen. Murray are able to get on the same page and get momentum in relation to a smaller bill, and whether this bill will be acceptable to the House. Watch for Title IX regulations to come out at the end of the year. There is much that institutions were looking for, but there will be many new details to digest for implementation. Bullet Points Only one area – accreditation -- was published in November. Other regulations that achieved consensus were pulled down by Department of Education counsel and staff. The accreditation changes provide for a more individualized approach that will take into account differences in institutions and programs within institutions. Competency-based education and assessment were not published due to concerns raised by Department of Education legal counsel and staff. These areas will go back to discussions. Title IX and Cleary Act continue to be a hot button issue. This area also is influencing House Democrats in their efforts to create a Higher Education Act. The House will consider a proposal created by Democrats to reauthorize the Higher Education Act; however, the cost of this act may be too much to receive full House approval. Sen. Alexander is trying to find ways to make this proposal more palatable to Republicans and Democrats. Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview: Lamar Alexander Patti Murray Congressman Bobby Scott Virginia Foxx 2019 Negotiated Rulemaking process Neg Reg list of participants Department of Education Guests Social Media Links: Tom Netting LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-netting-9214755/ CSPEN LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6954716/ Tom Netting Twitter - @t_netting The Change Leader’s Social Media Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com      

The risks of getting and paying for a college education have never been higher. That's why Robert Farrington's site is so valuable. Robert teaches Millennials how to choose and pay for college. Before undertaking 6 figure debt, it's essential that you have a college strategy. That means, figuring out the value of your eventual diploma, assuming you make it through the rigors of higher education. Robert says, figure out what your 1st year earnings out of college will be and then don't exceed that figure in student loans. A site that gives an invaluable view of what you're in for is College Scorecard. There's information here that has never been available before. It will help you and your child make a more rational decision. 

The risks of getting and paying for a college education have never been higher. That's why Robert Farrington's site is so valuable. Robert teaches Millennials how to choose and pay for college. Before undertaking 6 figure debt, it's essential that you have a college strategy. That means, figuring out the value of your eventual diploma, assuming you make it through the rigors of higher education. Robert says, figure out what your 1st year earnings out of college will be and then don't exceed that figure in student loans. A site that gives an invaluable view of what you're in for is College Scorecard. There's information here that has never been available before. It will help you and your child make a more rational decision. 

Federal legislators and policymakers continue to try to work through policy and legislative changes that will have significant impacts on higher education. These include efforts by the U.S. Department of Education to alter rules developed during the Obama Administration. In addition, Congress continues to focus on trying to come up with a workable plan to update the Higher Education Act. Regulatory Activity The Department of Education has been attempting to make a number of revisions to rules created during the Obama Administration. Most recently, the Department made a seismic shift on gainful employment on June 28. The department soft-launched a final rule that overturns the 2009-2010 regulations as well as the 2014 regulations, including Subpart Q and R, and drops the mandated reporting requirements, student warnings for programs that were deemed failing and any further notification or follow-up of pending appeals with the department. Because of the master calendar, the full rescission was to be effective on July 1, 2020; however, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos used her authority to allow institutions to begin to follow this new rule after it was published in the Federal Register. The Department did attempt to fill the void in accountability after rescinding the rules. The Department plans to make significant changes to the College Scorecard by adapting much of the previously required information and create additions that would address disclosures. This change would offer transparency by allowing students to see this information (although it doesn’t address programs that are performing at a “lesser than” level). Some people have expressed frustrations and concerns about these changes but it’s good to remember that over the years, educational policymakers and stakeholders have learned a lot. Therefore, this approach to disclosure may be better than using a guillotine on institutions. Moving forward, policymakers and institutions can continue to learn more about improving institutional assessment using the three-legged stool: accreditation’s oversight of curriculum; state review of institutions based on their role and responsibilities; and the Department of Education’s focus on oversight and financial aid. Additionally, more changes are expected on the regulatory side. The Borrower Defense to Repayment regulations have been approved to go forward, although they are expected to be subject to court challenges once published. They are now with the Office of Management and Budget and should be published in the near future. In addition, three packages that were part of the most recent round of federal negotiation and rulemaking on accreditation and innovation were approved by consensus. The Department published a notice in May/June that the first of those packages was subject to notice of proposed rulemaking so that interested parties could review. That feedback was due by July 12. The other two packages still have to come out. Because there was consensus, these packages are on their way to final rule by Nov. 1. However, there are three major areas where disagreements still continue. These areas includes institutional eligibility and accountability, Title IX/Cleary and loan repayment. The concerns about Title IX/Cleary are at the forefront of the Senate HELP Committee’s discussion about reauthorization. These final rules probably won’t be agreeable to both parties. Democrats are concerned about protecting the interest of the victims while Republicans are focused on providing protection to the accused. Thus, the Senate committee is having difficulty finding a balance between offering protections to both parties. Upper-level legislative staff are currently in dialogue to try to find common ground. Concerns also exist about loan repayment. These include the opportunity for public service loan forgiveness, other types of loan forgiveness and the reduction of overall repayment plans. Higher Education Act With a short timeline available in the legislative process before the election cycle takes over, it’s becoming less likely that the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will take place. Sen. Alexander, Sen. Murray and staff continue to hold weekly meetings as well as have discussions with members of their respective parties to see if they can come up with a comprehensive bill. There are pieces of reauthorization that everyone can come to terms with because they are much needed and in the best needs of students. These areas include student loan interest rates, financial literacy, loan repayment and simplification of the FAFSA. Sen. Alexander is focused on his burnishing his legacy by trying to pass revisions to the Higher Education Act. The question becomes whether he will be able to negotiate a bill that Democrats agree with or will end up crafting one that is specific to the Republican agenda. He also may focus on developing smaller bills that are bipartisan in nature that move smaller chunks through the legislative process. Discussions already have begun about alternate plans in case a comprehensive bill is not agreed upon. In the House, Chairman Scott has completed five bipartisan hearings that he and ranking member Fox agreed to. The committee will have one more hearing on apprenticeships. There remains a question about whether the House would take up the Higher Education Act in different forms, such as the piecemeal version mentioned earlier. Some insiders suggest that Chairman Scott is only interested in taking up a comprehensive bill. As we enter the second half of 2019, there is a lot of movement going on in the Congress -- and no assurance as to how things will play out. Netting will be surprised if reauthorization is completed this year. The Democrats probably won’t have time to put together a comprehensive bill unless they simply use the AIM Higher Act. However, that act has major issues from a scoring perspective and would need to be trimmed to make it fiscally palatable to Republicans. Trying to find middle ground going into an election year makes it tough. However, history shows that this type of collaborative effort can happen in an election year. Higher education—especially in areas such as student cost, student debt and academics--has changed significantly since the last authorization in 2008. Therefore, college students and the higher education system deserve a more timely authorization process. Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders: Keep an eye on what is happening on the regulatory front. This could especially impact the functions of the financial aid office, human resources office and law enforcement office. Take the opportunity to make comments about proposed rules. Higher education leaders’ comments need to come from a holistic institutional perspective. Watch for a Senate bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act moving forward between July and the end of September. If legislation doesn’t start moving in September, the chance that Congress will pass legislation will start dwindling as the election cycle approaches. Review the College Scorecard and the proposals in relation to it for the upcoming changes. Bullet Points The U.S. Department of Education continues to revise and reverse rules created during the Obama Administration. The most recent revision involves gainful employment. This revision drops the reporting requirements. The department plans to include some of these deleted reporting elements in the College Scorecard. The Borrower Defense to Repayment regulations have been approved to go forward. These are now with the Office of Management and Budget and should be published in the near future. Three packages that were part of the most recent round of federal negotiation and rulemaking on accreditation and innovation were able to achieve consensus. Major disagreements still are evident in the rule-making process for institutional eligibility and accountability, Title IX/Cleary and loan repayment. With the election cycle on the horizon, it’s becoming less likely that Congress will complete the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Therefore, there may be an effort to offer piecemeal solutions to areas where Republicans and Democrats can find common ground. These areas include student loan interest rates, financial literacy, loan repayment and simplification of the FAFSA. Lamar Alexander Patti Murray Congressman Bobby Scott Virginia Foxx 2019 Negotiated Rulemaking process Neg Reg list of participants Department of Education Guests Social Media Links: Tom Netting LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-netting-9214755/ CSPEN LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6954716/ Tom Netting Twitter - @t_netting The Change Leader’s Social Media Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com

“…A lot of the conversation around college education is that tuition is increasing very rapidly, debt is increasing very rapidly and what does that mean for everyone? If we take a bigger step back we want to reframe the discussion around higher education as the potential investment available to people in our economy to help them be more productive in the labor market and to help them have better financial lives themselves.  So when we think about higher education, rather than focusing all on the costs like we have been doing with the focus on the narrative about tuition and debt, I think it is important that we kind of refocus and talk about what students are getting from their college degrees. Basically encouraging people to think about this as cost-benefit analysis as they would with any other financial activity in their life. -- Beth Akers “People who have higher levels of education are far more likely to start or own a business, create jobs in that way; they are far more likely to file a patent, and do other things that are immeasurable contributions to intellectual thought and scientific thought and advancing living standards in important ways. Now quantifying those would be impossible. One that is easy to quantify, that I did in a piece a few of months ago for Brookings, is looking at not just what college graduates pay in taxes but their actual consumption as a direct benefit to local communities and the entire country.” -- Jonathan Rothwell In this episode of “Intersections,” Beth Akers, fellow at the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings, and Jonathan Rothwell, former fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program and senior economist at Gallup, examine the current state of higher education by looking at student debt and its correlation to the value added for individuals with a college education. Show Notes Using earnings data to rank colleges: A value-added approach updated with College Scorecard data What colleges do for local economies: A direct measure based on consumption? Making college less risky to boost social mobility More data can make college less risky The game of loans: rhetoric and reality of student debt With thanks to audio engineer and producer Zack Kulzer, Mark Hoelscher, Carisa Nietsche, Sara Abdel-Rahim,  Eric Abalahin, Fred Dews and Richard Fawal. Subscribe to the Intersections on iTunes, and send feedback email to intersections@brookings.edu.  

Andrew and Kevin debate the merits of the Democratic higher education platforms as well as the Obama Administration's trove of new "College Scorecard" data.

Prospective students often start their college searches with high expectations, and soon into their exploration, high anxiety. Both students fresh out of high school and older adults returning to school are making crucial choices about their educations without key information and resources and with misconceptions about everything from application requirements to financial aid and sound student loan options.According to recent research from New America's Education Policy Program and Public Agenda, 41 percent of students say they did not find enough helpful information to make their college decisions, and less than 1 in 5 adult prospective students has used an interactive website like the College Scorecard when considering college choices. And when it comes to paying for college, for example, 48 percent of students from families making less than $50,000 were unfamiliar with the Pell Grant, the cornerstone of federal financial aid for low-income students.What do these findings mean for the systems of higher education admissions and recruiting? As Congress begins looking towards the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, how can policymakers and education practitioners better address students' needs and help them become savvier about choosing the college that's right for them? Join New America NYC and Public Agenda for a discussion with the researchers and policymakers charged with recruiting and counseling New York's prospective students into making beneficial choices for their educations and their futures.Follow the discussion online using #CollegeDecisions and by following @NewAmericaNYC and @PublicAgenda. PARTICIPANTSIntroduction:Rachel Fishman @higheredrachelSenior Policy Analyst, Education Policy Program, New AmericaCarolin HagelskampVice President and Director of Research, Public AgendaParticipants:Paul Marthers, Ph.D.Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success, State University of New YorkCarmel Paleski, Ed.M.Director of Academic Affairs, Manhattan Educational Opportunity CenterLaura A. Bruno, M.S.W.Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management, Queensborough Community CollegeR. Ummi Modeste, M.S.Ed.College Advisor, City-As-School High SchoolModerator:Kim Clark @kclarkcollegeSenior Writer, Money MagazineThis event is presented in partnership with Public Agenda, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps diverse leaders and citizens navigate divisive, complex issues and work together to find solutions.

Hi, everybody. Next week marks seven years since a financial crisis on Wall Street that would usher in some hard years for working families on Main Street. Soon after that, I took office. And we set out to rebuild our economy on a new foundation for growth and prosperity by investing in things that grow our middle class – things like jobs, health care, and education. Today, our businesses have created more than 13 million new jobs over the last five and a half years. The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in more than seven years. Another 16 million Americans have gained health insurance. Our high school graduate rate is the highest it&`&s ever been, and more people are graduating from college than ever before. We are coming back – and stronger. Still, in an economy that’s increasingly based on knowledge and innovation, some higher education is the surest ticket to the middle class. By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education. That’s one reason why a degree from a two-year college will earn you $10,000 more each year than someone who only finished high school. One study showed that a degree from a four-year university earns you $1 million more over the course of a lifetime. The country with the best-educated workforce in the world is going to win the 21st century economy. I want that to be America. But as college costs and student debt keep rising, the choices that Americans make when searching for and selecting a college have never been more important. That’s why everyone should be able to find clear, reliable, open data on college affordability and value – like whether they’re likely to graduate, find good jobs, and pay off their loans. Right now, however, many existing college rankings reward schools for spending more money and rejecting more students – at a time when America needs our colleges to focus on affordability and supporting all students who enroll. That doesn’t make sense, and it has to change. So, today, my Administration is launching a new College Scorecard, designed with input from those who will use it the most – students, families, and counselors. Americans will now have access to reliable data on every institution of higher education. You’ll be able to see how much each school’s graduates earn, how much debt they graduate with, and what percentage of a school’s students can pay back their loans – which will help all of us see which schools do the best job of preparing America for success. And to reach more folks, we’re working with partners in the academic, non-profit, and private sectors that will help families use this new data to navigate the complicated college process and make informed decisions. The status quo serves some colleges and the companies that rank them just fine. But it doesn&`&t serve our students well – and that doesn&`&t serve any of us well. There are colleges dedicated to helping students of all backgrounds learn without saddling them with debt. We should hold everybody to that standard. Our economic future depends on it. This work is just beginning. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll continue to improve the Scorecard based on what we learn from students, parents, counselors, and colleges themselves. The goal is to help everybody who’s willing to work for a higher education search for and select a college that fits their goals. Together, we can make sure that every student has the chance to get a great education and achieve their full potential. Thanks, everybody. And have a great weekend.