The Council of Recognized Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC), a collaborative of the nation’s six largest federally recognized institutional accreditors, including HLC, hosted a National Data Summit in July. Leaders in higher education gathered to explore opportunities to improve existing data frameworks to better promote transparency and outcomes-oriented accountability in higher education. 

Following the Summit, C-RAC released an environmental scan of the higher education data landscape, “Accountability with Integrity: A National Framework for Data-Informed Education Accountability.”  

The scan brings together more than 30 higher education data experts with diverse ideological viewpoints to present an unbiased review of the current landscape and identify potential recommendations for future action. 

It also calls for a more integrated, transparent and student-centered approach to higher education accountability, and it highlights the role of accreditors in demonstrating that programs deliver measurable value for students.