IHEP Statement on the Launch of the Postsecondary Student Success Recognition Program

WASHINGTON, DC (October 8, 2024) – The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced today that it is now accepting applications from colleges and universities for the inaugural Postsecondary Student Success Recognition Program (PSSRP). ED identified 200 institutions as eligible to apply for the recognition – 100 predominantly bachelor’s granting institutions and 100 predominantly associate’s or certificate granting institutions. IHEP Vice President of Research and Policy Diane Cheng issued the following statement:  

“Our higher education system has long prioritized exclusivity over inclusivity and defined prestige based on how many students are kept out of an institution rather than how many are welcomed in and served well. We applaud the Department of Education’s launch of the Postsecondary Student Success Recognition Program that will distinguish institutions doing exceptional work to ensure all students, including students historically underrepresented in college settings, earn credentials of value, and are prepared for workforce success. IHEP research and advocacy has long focused on access, affordability, success, and strong outcomes for all students, as well as the power of data to improve transparency and evidence-based decision-making. As managing partner of the Postsecondary Value Commission and a leading voice for improving equitable value, we are proud the commission’s postsecondary economic return framework will inform how the Department assesses students’ post-college outcomes for this recognition program. It is long past time for institutions serving large numbers of underrepresented students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, as well as those delivering strong student outcomes and promoting economic mobility, to receive the recognition they deserve. We encourage eligible institutions to apply for this recognition and, in turn, spotlight to peers and to the field how to equitably deliver postsecondary value.”    

In May 2024, IHEP responded to the Department of Education’s Request for Information regarding the development of the PSSRP program. Read IHEP’s full comments here: IHEP Offers Recommendations for Establishing the Postsecondary Student Success Recognition Program.  

Learn more about the Postsecondary Value Commission’s proposed definition of postsecondary value, framework to measure that value, and action agenda to improve value and make it more equitable here.