Dive Summary:
- Looking to figure out how the federal government can encourage more efficient college degree production, the U.S. Department of Education hosted a discussion Monday with 150 higher education leaders and "disrupters."
- The idea that higher education policymaking is about balancing the encouragement of innovation and the safeguarding investments was a recurring theme during the mostly off-the-record, day-long meeting--especially when the federal government, despite its influence, can really only use financial aid programs to tell colleges what to do.
- Education Secretary Arne Duncan said during the meeting that the White House wants to help decrease the cost of college while increasing completion rates and maintaining academic quality, adding that the Education Department is open to ideas including competency-based programs, prior learning assessments and MOOCs.
From the article:
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Education hosted an A-list of 150 higher education leaders and "disrupters" for a discussion Monday on how the federal government can encourage the more efficient production of college degrees and credentials. A recurring theme of the daylong meeting, most of which was off the record, was that policymaking on higher education is a balancing act of encouraging innovation and safeguarding investments. ...