Policy Leadership Trust for Student Success

No single policy intervention will—on its own—move the needle on student success. Good policy takes a multi-pronged approach.

State context matters when designing policy. What is working in one state may not work in another because of differences in political landscape, priorities, governance, capacity, collaboration, and current and past reforms.

Policy should flow from practice, not the inverse. In most instances, it is better to use policy as a tool to accelerate implementation and scaling of proven practices that are already taking hold locally—rather than attempt through policy to ignite reforms that have yet to emerge.

Policy is most likely to be implemented with fidelity when practitioners have informed the policy process and have a sense of ownership. Practitioners should have a seat at table when policy is developed.

Good policy respects the autonomy of institutions over academic and student affairs. Policy ought not dictate curricular decisions.

Good policy does not prescribe rigid implementation of practices and models.

Good policy creates incentives and structures to catalyze change within institutions and among systems.

High-level directives can be useful at times in steering the direction of reform, deepening commitment, overcoming resistance, and creating leverage. Good policy creates the conditions and overarching expectations for systems and institutions to improve student success.

Establish meaningful metrics for increasing attainment rates of credentials of value, ensuring equity and economic mobility of low-income and underserved students, and building a skilled workforce.

Provide adequate resources and appropriate incentives for institutions and systems to transform practices and help more students achieve their education and career goals.

Deepen responsiveness to business and industry needs through meaningful engagement of employers in programmatic decisions and in widening access to work-based learning opportunities to ensure students have the skills and experiences for work.

Forge alignment across secondary and postsecondary systems to make seamless and affordable pathways to credentials and high-demand careers for all students. Streamline paths from high school and adult education through associate and baccalaureate degree completion in students’ desired program of study.

Foster collaboration between postsecondary and human services systems to maximize access and coordination of wraparound services, financial supports, and public benefits to bolster the financial stability of students and alleviate their financial hurdles to completion and career success.

Enhance data systems to encourage a culture of inquiry in which institutions and systems apply data to identify barriers to student success and drive their decision-making on implementation of sound practices. Establish/enhance state-level longitudinal data systems to track student progress across K–12, workforce, and higher education systems and institutions.

Invest in institutional capacity to implement evidence-based reforms by defraying upfront costs of implementing guided pathway practices, enhancing professional development of faculty and staff in support of student success efforts, and strengthening institutional capacity for data analysis and use of technology.

Build statewide infrastructure for scale by developing state-level capacity to convene institutions to facilitate peer exchange and deliver expert consultation regarding evidence-based student success practices, as well as inform practitioners about the implications and opportunities of adopted policies.

Remove policy barriers to encourage institutions to to experiment with implementing evidence-based practices.

Evaluate efficacy and viability of scaling reforms before codifying into policy.

Provide formal opportunities for practitioners to inform policy design and rule-making.