Accountability

Washington places a high priority on ensuring that state higher education system expenditures lead to increased student access and expanded degree production to meet the state’s growing demand for educated workers.  Toward these ends, the Legislature has established goals calling for increased baccalaureate degree-production and parity in the number of degrees earned by students who are low-income or the first in their families to attend college.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board oversees a performance accountability system to promote progress in achieving performance goals for Washington’s public four-year colleges and universities.

Institutions prepare biennial plans for achieving “meaningful and substantial” progress on performance goals. The Board reviews these plans and sets biennial performance targets for each college and university. A biennial report is prepared to the Legislature and Governor on each institution’s progress in meeting these goals and recommending policy improvements.

To provide consistent, easily understood indicators of the level of progress in achieving goals, baccalaureate institutions are required to annually submit data recommended by the National Governors' Association on the number of degrees awarded, graduation rates, transfer rates, time and credits to degree, retention rates and other variables.

Reports

Higher Education Accountability Report (2011)

Higher Education Accountability Report (2009)