American educators are so busy "basking in the glow of past achievements" that they have allowed our colleges and universities to fall behind, according to a new report from the National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education, put together by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).

The report, Accountability for Better Results, was released March 10 at a panel presentation in Washington, D.C. It calls for a fresh approach stressing cooperation, not competition, among institutions, policymakers and educators sometimes more preoccupied with prestige than success for students. "We need to focus relentlessly on results," said Pat Callan, founding resident of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. "Not just any results, but the results that matter most."

Richard Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and the committee's co-chair, outlined three paramount recommendations: attention to the transition from high school to college, significant investment in teaching, and better data systems to close the achievement gap. The report recommends increased student tracking to provide more accurate graduation rates, as these vary according to types of institutions and the students they serve.

Other points to consider from the report include specific responsibilities for business and civic leaders, legislators, the federal government and the institutions themselves. And funding is essential, particularly when education is focused, as it should be, on "public good" rather than institutional gain.

Higher education, said Lee Fritschler, former assistant secretary of postsecondary education and current professor at George Mason University, "is becoming less of a public good because we're not paying for it. . . . We can't ignore the funding issue."

While the report effectively sounds the alarm regarding success rates--only 18 of every 100 students entering high school will go on to complete college within six years of starting—it lacks an action plan. "One thing we're not short of is good reports," commented William "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland. "What we've failed to do in this country is take action." Kirwan will use the report to start conversations on his campuses; commission member and former majority leader of the Kansas Senate Lana Oleen suggested the report also be taken up by state legislatures.

For more on the report, go to http://www.sheeo.org/pubs/pubs_search.asp. [Virginia Myers Kelly]

March 11, 2005