In recent years, HLC has engaged in a series of research projects focused on defining and advancing student success. The results of these projects enhance HLC's capacity to monitor and review institutional performance relative to student outcomes.

Growing With Data: A Partnership With the National Student Clearinghouse

2021–Present

Supported by funding from the Lumina Foundation, HLC initiated a data partnership with the National Student Clearinghouse in 2021. This partnership allows HLC to gain deeper insight into the student populations served by HLC’s member institutions and access to key student outcome metrics without placing the reporting burden on the institutions.

In the first phase of the data partnership, the Clearinghouse provided HLC with the student outcome metrics reported in aggregate for use as existing HLC benchmarks. In the second phase, the Clearinghouse will provide institutional-level reports upon receiving consent from participating institutions to release information. This more granular information will enable closer engagement with individual institutions for purposes of continuous improvement.

Growing With Data: A Partnership With the National Student Clearinghouse (September 2022)

Student Success Measures

2022

This HLC research initiative builds on the 2015-16 C-RAC project to analyze graduation rates and strives to better understand the practices and circumstances at member institutions that have improved their graduation rates, along with the reasons that have led to the status quo or in some instances declining rates. HLC’s aim is to help institutions improve student retention and completion. This initiative seeks to identify successful practices as well as continuing (and new) challenges.

Student Success Data Projects

2018–2019

HLC launched two joint initiatives on student success data designed to test variables that affect student success and to define key terms such as persistence, retention and completion. The Testing Student Success Data group, comprised of a diverse set of HLC member institutions, conducted research to test variables on a variety of student bodies. The Defining Student Success Data group, which included representatives from HLC member institutions, national higher education organizations, state agencies and national data organizations, identified ways in which HLC may contribute to the student success conversation. The group published recommendations for changing the student success conversation, differentiation for disaggregation of student success data, and developing a standard glossary of terms related to student success.

Defining Student Success Data: Recommendations for Changing the Conversation (December 2018)

Defining Student Success Data: Recommendations for Differentiation for Disaggregation (January 2019)

Defining Student Success Data: Recommendations for a Glossary of Terms (February 2019)

Testing Student Success Data: Findings and Recommendations (March 2019)

C-RAC Graduation Rate Survey

2016–2018

As part of a national initiative to increase focus on helping institutions improve retention and completion rates, in 2016 HLC surveyed a sample group of institutions for information that will help HLC understand how institutions track students’ academic outcomes, how institutions have been working to improve those outcomes, and the contexts affecting specific student populations.

C-RAC (the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions) summarized the findings of the studies conducted by the seven regional accreditors, including HLC, and published a report in 2018.

HLC’s Survey Findings (July 2017)

C-RAC Summary Report (February 2018)