On the Foundations of Standardized Assessment of College Outcomes and Estimating Value Added

Abstract

T he notion of holding institutions of higher education accountable for student learning resonates with many during these times of financial constraint and increasing global competition. As the commission appointed by former Secretary of Education Spellings stated, "parents and students have no solid evidence, comparable across institutions, of how much students learn in colleges or whether they learn more at one college than another. Similarly, policymakers need more comprehensive data to help them decide whether the national investment in higher education is paying off and how taxpayer dollars could be used more effectively." 1 Additionally, business leaders are calling for greater accountability in higher education to ensure that college graduates have the skills necessary to make contributions in the workplace. In part, these calls are motivated by the realization that economic growth in the United States will likely decelerate because of a shortfall of skilled workers in the next decade. 2 In recognition of their responsibility to provide evidence of student learning, many colleges and universities have ramped up their institutional assessment programs and joined in collective efforts such as to the