What if Student Learning Counted in Performance Funding?

By Matt Reed. What if student learning counted as a metric in performance funding? 
Okay, that’s wonky. To translate: right now, many states are either using or considering a formula to determine funding levels for public colleges that would tie funding to “performance” along some prescribed set of measures.  I’ve seen relatively simple proposals, such as funding based simply on the number of graduates, and I’ve seen much more sophisticated and complex ones, such as the multivariate formula that Massachusetts applies now to community colleges. (It doesn’t apply performance funding to UMass, though.  You may draw whatever conclusion about that you wish.) Read more...