Policymakers

Who is going to college? How can colleges and universities prepare them to be the skilled employees of a dynamic, global economy and the well-informed citizens of a diverse democracy? Why, with more students than ever attending college, do employers find graduates underprepared for the workplace? What changes in public policy will ensure better readiness for college study and better learning in college? What should college students actually be learning?

The Greater Expectations National Panel report addresses these and other questions of interest to policymakers. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the current situation, the report concludes with recommendations, many of which ask for action by policymakers at various levels.

This Web version of the report offers the option of either reading the entire report (simply go to "Enter the Report") or reading selected sections. While we recommend starting at the beginning and following the entire argument, the sections listed below may be of greatest interest to those leaders involved in setting policy. Finally, return to the bottom of this page for suggestions about what you can do next (link also at the end of the report).

• Who now attends college
• Pressures on higher education
• Pressures on secondary education
• Various expectations of college
• Barriers to student readiness for college
• Barriers to high quality college learning
• The important outcomes of college study
• The kind of education that develops skills, knowledge, and a sense of responsibility
• A practical liberal education
• Summary of the New Academy

• Recommendations

   

What can you do next?

If you are a policymaker at the state level:

• Ask the colleges and universities in your state to explain their philosophy of education and to show that their graduates are well-prepared for good citizenship and for the workplace of the twenty-first century.
• Examine college attendance patterns in your state and determine what barriers frustrate successful completion of a college degree; support policies to dismantle the barriers.
• If your state serves significant numbers of transfer students, students who concurrently enroll at more than one institution, or returning adults, support policies that meet their needs.
• Recommend fiscal policies that facilitate higher education-K-12 alliances.
• Learn about diverse assessments methods and the developmental nature of learning so your support of education can be well informed.

If you are a policymaker at the federal level:

• Learn about diverse assessments methods and the developmental nature of learning so your support of education can be well informed.
• Keep the variety of institutional missions, local needs, and the diversity of the student body in mind as your formulate policies.
• Reconsider funding for higher education to lift the heavy burden on students so they can devote more time to their studies.

If you are a policymaker within secondary or higher education:

• Set standards for institutional success based on the graduation of empowered, informed and responsible learners.
• Encourage the development of meaningful assessments that reflect sophisticated intellectual capacities, as well as mastery of important facts.