With all of the conversation around ‘value’ in higher education, it can be hard to understand where PSC’s work fits in. PSC President talked with Samuel Negus to share more about PSC’s rigorous approach to measuring the economic outcomes of institutions and programs, and why having an accreditor committed to doing so matters for the broader higher education sector.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Texas State Technical College and the Postsecondary Commission announce partnership to pilot the Postsecondary Commission’s proposed accreditation model
Boston, MA and Waco, TX – Texas State Technical College (TSTC) and the Postsecondary Commission (PSC) today announced a partnership in which, starting January 2024, TSTC will engage in a pilot accreditation process, where the college will provide feedback on PSC’s proposed standards, policies and procedures.
TSTC’s current and primary accreditation is not affected by its partnership with PSC and its role as a pilot institution for PSC.
PSC is an aspiring accreditor seeking recognition by the US Department of Education.
“Texas State Technical College’s success comes from understanding the demands of the workforce in the state of Texas,” said TSTC Chancellor & CEO Michael Mike Reeser. “We are proud of our graduates’ successes and look forward to working with the Postsecondary Commission, which shares our commitment to outcomes-driven higher education.”
TSTC’s participation in this pilot project will take approximately two years, during which TSTC will provide feedback for PSC as it refines and practices its proposed accreditation model and seeks federal recognition.
“Most students today attend higher education because they want a better job and a higher salary. PSC is dedicated to working with institutions that produce strong and measurable economic outcomes for their students,” said PSC Founder and President Stig Leschly. “We are thrilled to partner with TSTC, which has a long history of preparing its students for better jobs and careers.”
TSTC currently receives its state funding based, in a large part, on the wage gains of its students. PSC’s proposed accreditation model, in one of its central aspects, holds institutions accountable for creating wage gains substantial enough for students to recoup their educational costs in a reasonable timeframe.
“TSTC is a natural partner for us,” said PSC VP of Accreditation Jennifer Dirmeyer. “For decades, they have focused on the workforce success of their students, and they have a strong track record of measuring and producing the economic outcomes that PSC values.”
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The Postsecondary Commission is an aspiring accreditor of higher education institutions that produce high rates of economic mobility for their students. More information on PSC can be found at www.postsecondarycommission.org.
With 10 campuses across the state, Texas State Technical College helps to strengthen the Texas workforce with highly skilled, technically competent graduates. Operating on a unique funding model based on student employment outcomes, the college celebrated 55 years of service to the state of Texas in 2020. For more information, visit tstc.edu.
On October 17, the Postsecondary Commission joined with AEI to host economists, policy experts, and practitioners at AEI’s Washington, DC office to discuss how to measure the value of a higher education credential and some of the implications of doing so. Beth Akers, an AEI Senior Fellow and a PSC commissioner, moderated three conversations on the topic.
The first panel included the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity’s Preston Cooper, the University of Virginia’s Sarah Turner, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s David Troutman discussing the importance and feasibility of value-added measures.
Next, Scott Pulsipher of Western Governors University (WGU) delivered a lunchtime keynote address on accountability in higher education, followed by a discussion with Beth Akers on WGU’s model, thoughts on how institutions measure value, and the relationship between regulators and innovation.
The final discussion featured PSC’s Stig Leschly, the Department of Education’s Rajeev Darolia, and the US House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Chance Russell on how value-added measures could be practically implemented.
AEI organized and hosted the at-capacity event and Beth Akers did a tremendous job moderating. The embedded video below covers all three sessions of the event.