In this report, we examined five kinds of equity-focused metrics in state OBF policies to determine the extent to which states prioritize the enrollment and success of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds:
- Enrollment metrics for students of color
- Success metrics for students of color
- Enrollment metrics for students from low-income backgrounds
- Success metrics for students from low-income backgrounds
- Metrics related to campus racial climate
While the inclusion of these metrics in policies is essential, how they are deployed is equally as important. Therefore, we also considered whether the metrics were mandatory, optional, or weighted. Weighted metrics are the most ideal. These are mandatory and are given additional value, so strong institutional performance on a weighted metric would garner greater advantage or funding.
Two- and Four-Year Institutions
New York adopted the Next Generation Job Linkage Program in 2014, which allocated annual bonus funding based on outcomes. The program lasted through 2018, and applied to two- and four-year institutions in New York’s State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) systems.
The aim of the program was to incentivize the development of academic and vocational programs that align with high-demand regional workforce needs.
From 2014-2018, SUNY institutions competed for a pool of $3 million, while CUNY institutions vied for a $2 million pool.
Program metrics included:
- Number of new courses created
- Number of courses enhanced
- Number of applied learning opportunities
- Number of job/internship placements
- Increases in graduates’ wages
- Meeting credit thresholds
- Credentials completed or transfers
The Next Generation Job Linkage program issued bonuses for:
- Pell recipients
- Veterans
- Students with disabilities
- Minority and/or female graduates in STEM fields
After 2018, this program was no longer funded on the basis of outcomes metrics. There is little information about the program on state websites. This profile relies heavily on data from the 2020 InformEd report, which can be found here:https://informedstates.org/policy-briefs-feed/the-landscape-of-performance-based-funding-in-2020. To learn more, visit https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/workforce-dev/SUNY-Next-Generation-JobLinkage-ProgramGuidelines.pdf.
Two-Year Institutions |
|
| Enrollment of Students of Color | None |
| Success of Students of Color | Weight |
| Enrollment of Students From Low-Income Backgrounds | None |
| Success of Students From Low-Income Backgrounds | Weight |
| Measure Related to Campus Climate | None |
Four-Year Institutions |
|
| Enrollment of Students of Color | None |
| Success of Students of Color | Weight |
| Enrollment of Students From Low-Income Backgrounds | None |
| Success of Students From Low-Income Backgrounds | Weight |
| Measure Related to Campus Climate | None |
