SHEEO launches national coalition of 20 states and territories to scale Work-Based Learning & Quality Coaching

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Eight states to participate in an intensive learning community

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to welcome a 20-state coalition participating in Advancing State and Systems Strategies for Work-Based Learning, a national, multi-state initiative designed to help states build sustainable, scalable approaches to work-based learning experiences and quality education-to-career coaching.

Significant interest in this initiative reflects growing demand among states to strengthen the connection between education and employment and to ensure that more students have access to the guidance, information, and experiences they need to translate education into meaningful career outcomes.

“State higher education agencies are uniquely positioned to help institutions expand access to high-quality work-based learning,” said John Lane, SHEEO Vice President for Academic Affairs. “By strengthening the connection between education and career pathways, states can help more students engage in meaningful learning experiences and improve outcomes, especially for students who face barriers to high-quality apprenticeships, internships, and additional work-based learning experiences.”

SHEEO’s Advancing State and Systems Strategies for Work-Based Learning project is supported by philanthropic grants from the Strada Education Foundation, JPMorganChase, and Ascendium Education Group.

Connecting work-based learning with quality coaching

Work-based learning (WBL) can help close gaps between education and workforce readiness. Learners who complete at least one internship are 48.5% less likely to be underemployed after graduation than peers who have no internships. Still, many states find that policies and practices are lacking to advance high-quality WBL across disciplines, institutional sectors, and regions at scale. Effective education-to-career guidance, known as quality coaching, helps students understand their talents and interests, provides access to timely and actionable labor market information, and uses education and employment outcomes data to help students understand which pathways are most likely to lead to their goals.

One coalition, differentiated support

Eight of the 20 states and territories were identified to participate in an intensive learning community and will receive structured assessment, individualized technical assistance and coaching, peer learning, and support in developing and advancing state-specific policy agendas.

Participants in the learning community include California, Hawai‘i, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, and Rhode Island. SHEEO will support states in assessing their experiential learning and advising ecosystems, developing coherent and durable policy agendas, and advancing sustainable models that improve student persistence, completion, and postsecondary career outcomes. Those participating in the learning community will receive research-backed guidance and tools needed to advance lasting reforms that center on students, their programs of study and career aspirations, and institutional missions in education-to-career guidance that leads to quality experiential learning.

Due to the significant interest in quality work-based learning strategies, SHEEO is welcoming 12 additional partner states to participate in a broader coalition, including Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Partner states will attend an in-person convening, monthly webinars, and receive technical assistance in WBL and education-to-career guidance strategies.

“Work-based learning is one of the most powerful tools for career success, yet a majority of students lack access to paid opportunities,” said Laura Love, Strada Senior Vice President of Work-Based Learning. “This national coalition will help state leaders bring proven strategies to scale, ultimately strengthening outcomes for students, employers, and regional economies.”

“The extraordinary response from states sends a powerful signal: there is real momentum to ensure that education leads to opportunity,” said Craig Robinson, Strada Senior Vice President of Quality Coaching. “States increasingly recognize that work-based learning, quality coaching, labor market information, and outcomes data cannot operate as separate strategies. This coalition creates undeniable momentum to improve opportunities for millions of learners.”

“This 20-state coalition represents the significant interest we’ve seen year after year in workforce alignment policies and practices to advance student success before and after graduation,” said Rob Anderson, SHEEO President. “We’re grateful to collaborate with states and our philanthropic partners on strategies vital to sustaining and scaling transformative opportunities.”

Learn more about this project at https://sheeo.org/project/work-based-learning-quality-coaching/.

SHEEO welcomes two new policy staff – Cuellarsola and Walker

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) recently welcomed two new staff members to support state policy initiatives to help advance student success and strengthen postsecondary systems. Lily Cuellarsola joined SHEEO as a Senior Policy Analyst on July 20, while Joshua Walker joined as a Policy Analyst on July 27.

Lily will support SHEEO’s policy initiatives and projects in basic needs data, academic programs, and student success. Before SHEEO, Lily built a career across higher education, most recently serving as Senior Research Manager at Excelencia in Education, where she led a research portfolio and directed the development and publication of reports advancing Latino student success. As a Research Associate at EAB, she advised institutions on aligning curricula with labor market demands. She began her career as a Research Assistant in Wellesley College’s Office of Institutional Research, supporting the college’s reaccreditation and annual reporting.

Lily is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Wellesley College.

Joshua will support SHEEO’s policy agenda by conducting research and analysis, providing technical support for state higher education agencies, and creating resources to translate evidence into actionable policy solutions.

Before joining SHEEO, Joshua served as an Associate at Education Strategy Group, where he worked on state and system-level initiatives focused on postsecondary attainment, adult learner success, workforce alignment, dual enrollment, and institutional strategy. Prior to his time at Ed Strategy Group, he was a Policy Analyst at The Hunt Institute, where he supported research and technical assistance projects centered on educator workforce, school choice and finance, state longitudinal data systems, and other initiatives aimed at advancing systems change and improving student outcomes. 

Joshua earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the inaugural MPP cohort and completed a Graduate Certificate in Innovation for the Public Good. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Learn more about SHEEO staff on our website: https://sheeo.org/about/sheeo-staff/

SHEEO Announces 2026 Excellence Awards Recipients

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Montana, Rhode Island, Utah recognized

WASHINGTON – The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2026 SHEEO Excellence Awards. The awards recognize the leadership, dedication, and innovation of exceptional SHEEOs, agency staff, and agencies at a time when state postsecondary policy is increasingly linked to student success, social mobility, and states’ workforce and economic prosperity.

  • The Exceptional Leader Award recipient is Clayton Christian, Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System.
  • The Exceptional Agency Award goes to the Utah System of Higher Education.
  • The David L. Wright Memorial Award recipient is Andrea Spargo, Research Specialist, at the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner.

Reflecting on the SHEEO Excellence Awards, Dr. Robert Anderson, SHEEO President, said: “It is truly our pleasure to honor and recognize the commitment and resilience of our state higher education executive officers, their agencies, and the dedicated professionals who serve within them. The recipients of this year’s SHEEO Excellence Awards play a crucial role in shaping systems to better serve students and advance our nation’s postsecondary landscape.”

Exceptional Leader Award

The Exceptional Leader Award is presented to a current state higher education executive officer from a member agency who has shown exceptional leadership, a commitment to higher education, a contribution to the greater good, and service to the SHEEO association.

This year’s recipient of the Exceptional Leader Award, Clayton Christian, is the Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System. Clayton has helped lead the Montana University System to advance innovative initiatives in college access, research, workforce education, transfer pathways, dual enrollment, and performance funding. He provides strategic leadership for the Montana University System, serving more than 45,000 students through Montana’s 16 public colleges and universities.

Under Commissioner Christian’s leadership since 2012, state support for the Montana University System has nearly doubled, providing lasting investments in campus base budgets across the state. This continued growth in state investment reflects strong confidence in the Montana University System and its role in educating students, supporting communities, and advancing Montana’s workforce and economy.

Sponsored research across the System has more than doubled during Christian’s tenure, increasing from $192 million to $465 million in annual expenditures. During that period, Montana ranked sixth nationally in research growth. Contributing to that success was a landmark initiative championed by Commissioner Christian, when he successfully worked with the Legislature to establish the state’s first dedicated investment in university research—a $15 million appropriation that helped strengthen Montana’s research capacity and competitiveness.

Under Christian’s leadership, the Montana University System developed and implemented Montana 10, an evidence-based student success initiative designed to improve retention and degree completion. The program combines data-informed advising, strategies that promote academic momentum, efforts to reduce the cost of earning a degree, and intentional engagement in campus life. MT10 has become a national model for improving student outcomes through research-driven practice.

Annual participation in dual enrollment has grown fivefold during Christian’s time as Commissioner, and the state’s year-to-year retention rate increased from 72 percent to 79 percent. Clayton led the development of a nationally recognized ‘Grow Your Own’ teacher and nursing pathways, leveraging common course numbering, 2+2 partnerships, and distance education to allow more students to earn degrees while remaining in their home communities.

Commissioner Christian’s career is marked by humble leadership, innovation, and steady improvements to strengthen public confidence in higher education.

“Congratulations to Commissioner Christian on being recognized with the 2026 State Higher Education Executive Officers Association Exceptional Leader Award,” Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said. “As Montana’s Commissioner of Higher Education, Clay has been a partner in ensuring strong leadership at our colleges and universities to support the long-term success of students both in and out of the classroom. Thank you for your dedicated service and leadership.”

“Congratulations to Commissioner Christian on this outstanding achievement,” said Loren Bough, Chair of the Montana Board of Regents. “Clay has provided thoughtful, collaborative, and steady leadership that has strengthened the Montana University System and expanded opportunities for students across our state. We are grateful for his service and proud to see his work recognized with this well-deserved national honor.”

Exceptional Agency Award

The Exceptional Agency Award is presented to a member agency whose innovative actions, policies, or practices advanced student success in their state; which displayed exceptional governance practices; overcame exceptional challenges; or displayed other meritorious attributes. SHEEO has selected the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) as this year’s awardee.

Recent initiatives in Utah reflect USHE’s continued commitment to students, the state’s future workforce, and institutional stability.

Through a strategic system realignment, Utah’s board has committed to establishing a new framework for enhanced region-based integration and collaboration. By generating efficiencies and prioritizing higher education access and success for students, the new framework will ultimately help USHE operate as a more cohesive System. This initiative, which was codified in the Utah legislature this year, will strengthen coordination between institutions and create opportunities for more horizontal and vertical integration of USHE institutions.  

A recent strategic reinvestment exercise, codified in 2025 created an opportunity for degree-granting institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education to reallocate 10% of their instructional line-item budget over a three-year period, with an emphasis on providing additional investment to programs or institutional needs based on innovation, workforce alignment, and strategic value to the state. As USHE enters year two of the strategic reinvestment exercise, many USHE institutions are ahead of statutory implementation timelines and targets, and their year two strategic reinvestment plans are expected to entail nearly $23 million in net reinvestment in instruction and research. In March 2026, the Board built off this framework to extend the strategic reinvestment initiative to USHE technical colleges. 

The Utah System has prioritized the affordability and value of a USHE education by developing and executing a rigorous new tuition and fee-setting process over the last several years. Board leadership, the Commissioner’s Office, and institutional leaders have worked together to prioritize keeping costs manageable for students and families while continuing to foster access and excellence. 

The Board and Commissioner’s Office have invested in strengthening relationships and proactively collaborating with partners in Utah’s executive branch and legislature. In January 2026, Utah’s political and educational leaders reaffirmed the state’s commitment to students, academic excellence, and public accountability by signing a historic joint resolution between the Board, Commissioner, USHE institutional presidents, the Utah Governor, Senate president, and House speaker.

Finally, Utah has implemented recent initiatives to reaffirm higher education’s crucial role in serving as a marketplace for ideas and open inquiry, protecting and fostering free speech and academic freedom, introducing students to a variety of viewpoints, and helping students hone the skills needed for civil dialogue. 

It is these actions and initiatives that make Utah a fitting choice for the Exceptional Agency Award. 

Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward reflected, “Our work is centered on helping Utah students achieve their potential while fostering a thriving state. That means building a system designed to cultivate centers of excellence, expand access, and ensure our colleges and universities create transformative value for students, employers, and communities. We believe higher education in Utah can achieve even greater things, and every step we take unlocks more of that promise for the people and places we serve.”

“Our country’s continued success depends on developing the talent, innovation, and workforce that will shape our future. I’m grateful for the leadership of USHE that made receiving this award possible and for their ongoing commitment to making higher education more accessible and valuable for every Utahn,” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox. “Investing in higher education creates opportunities for individuals and families and helps keep Utah’s economy strong for generations to come. We are truly honored and proud that the Utah System of Higher Education is receiving this recognition.” 

“Higher education has the power to transform lives and strengthen not just our own communities, but our country as a whole. We are honored to be recognized nationally for innovation in higher education system design and hope that our efforts inspire other institutions as they focus on expanding access, increasing value, and aligning education with workforce needs. We are building a stronger system that achieves greater success for students, families, and communities across Utah through our aligned and vibrant vision for higher education,” said Utah Board of Higher Education Chair Amanda Covington.

David L. Wright Memorial Award

The David L. Wright Memorial Award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member from a member agency who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency. This year’s David L. Wright Memorial Award is presented to Andrea Spargo, Research Specialist, at the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner.

Spargo carries forward David Wright’s legacy with thoughtfulness and dedication — demonstrating the very qualities this award celebrates: ethical leadership, tireless work ethic, and a lasting impact on higher education policy.

Spargo is an educational researcher with more than 20 years of experience in data collection, management, and advanced analysis across K–12 and postsecondary systems. Her expertise in translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences has been invaluable to Rhode Island and to success in building cross-agency collaboration. Those who work with her consider her an asset to their teams, heralding her ability to apply thoughtful logic and analytic skills to vague and ill-defined projects, bringing order to chaos.

Among the many projects Spargo has led or developed are Rhode Island’s attainment dashboard, population profiles, and a now-popular annual report focused on key metrics related to education, workforce training, and earnings tailored to municipal audiences. She collaborated with the Department of Labor and Training to develop the first statewide talent pipeline analysis, aligning graduate output with workforce demand, and she serves as the data lead for Workforce Pell implementation. Spargo’s accomplishments span far beyond this short list – a testament to the work ethic and dedication she has shown throughout her time in Rhode Island.

Additional accomplishments include:

  • Spargo co-authored the “Roadmap for Postsecondary Attainment in the Ocean State”, creating an annual benchmark for analyzing population characteristics, educational attainment, enrollment, completion, and affordability.
  • She evaluated the institutional performances of Rhode Island’s three institutions of higher education in the areas of graduation/completion, workforce development, and mission-specific metrics and produced an annual report for each Institution of Higher Education as part of a performance funding assessment.
  • She coordinates the annual private, non-degree school data collection, managing the data element template, and co-facilitating information sessions to ensure institutions understand what is being asked and why. 
  • Spargo is a key contributor to the Direct Admissions pilot, where she will use RILDS-prepared data to make eligibility determinations for RI’s rising seniors, placing her at the precise intersection of data infrastructure and student access. 
  • Launched the state’s inaugural college-going report, providing critical information about high school college-going patterns and information by student groups, sparking a multi-year campaign to address college-going challenges coming out of the pandemic.  

“The David L. Wright Memorial Award honors someone whose commitment, work ethics, and ethical practice have made a lasting difference in the field of state higher education. Andrea Spargo is that person. She has spent more than a decade as a quiet pillar of Rhode Island’s higher education landscape, building data and research infrastructure that makes good policy possible, earning the trust of every partner she has worked with across RI’s Institutions of higher education, government, and business; doing it all with a spirit of service that is, simply, who she is. She has built a reputation that precedes her into every room she enters,” said Shannon Gilkey, Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner. “Because of Andrea’s influence on Rhode Island higher education, the state provides a more affordable, equitable, and impactful system of delivery that Rhode Islanders will continue to access for many years to come. Andrea personifies the importance of SHEEO offices across the country for the work she conducts, the way she conducts it, and the impact she has on our communities. 

During the 2026 Annual Meeting on July 14, SHEEO also recognized outgoing Executive Committee Board Chair Ginger Ostro, Executive Director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, for her leadership and service to the SHEEO Executive Committee over the last year.

Learn more about SHEEO Excellence Awards, including past winners: https://sheeo.org/membership/sheeo-awards/

Sachith Patabendi joins SHEEO as new Executive Assistant/Operations Manager

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to welcome Sachith Patabendi to the team. Sachith joined the SHEEO staff as Executive Assistant and Operations Manager earlier this week. In this role, Sachith will manage the daily operations of the organization and the Washington, D.C. office. He will focus on supporting the SHEEO staff, streamlining organizational workflows, managing complex scheduling, assisting with SHEEO events, and ensuring the office remains an efficient and productive environment for the team.

Prior to joining SHEEO, Sachith spent over eight years supporting senior leadership in an office manager and executive assistant role at Nokkam Inc., a graphic design firm based in Rockville, Maryland. There, he oversaw a wide range of cross-functional initiatives, including financial reporting and strategic communications, bringing a unique blend of operational rigor and creative problem-solving to his work. 

For more information about SHEEO staff, visit our staff webpage.

SHEEO welcomes State Policy Interns 

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to welcome two State Policy Interns for the summer. Mya Haynes and Jaden Mikoulinskii joined SHEEO’s team this week.

Over the next few months, Mya Haynes will support SHEEO’s Holistic Advising for Student Success project, including analyzing baseline assessments of seven states’ advising ecosystems and identifying research on best practices at the state level. Jaden Mikoulinskii will aid SHEEO’s efforts in creating a state higher education governance database to better document the complexities that SHEEO agencies function within, and she’ll develop a tool to help SHEEO agencies identify peers from a functions perspective.

Jaden is a doctoral student at the University of Georgia’s Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education. She currently serves as a Research Assistant with the University System of Georgia’s Division of Research and Policy Analysis, where she conducts quantitative and policy analyses to support system leadership and state decision-makers. Her research interests exist at the nexus of higher education policy, political economies, and funding. 

Jaden earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Jaden also holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. While at Maryland, Jaden engaged with institutional, state, and federal higher education governance systems, learning valuable insights to bridge policy, research, and practice.

Mya is a Ph.D. candidate and Provost’s Fellow studying education with a concentration in higher education at the University of Southern California. She is also a Research Assistant at the Race and Equity Center and the Pullias Center for Higher Education. Mya draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from higher education policy, psychology, sociology, and critical studies to examine how sociopolitical contexts and policy shifts shape students’ experiences on campus. Her research focuses broadly on issues of race and equity in higher education, examining how racial disparities shape access and success for marginalized students, faculty, and staff. Mya’s commitments to equity in higher education are directly informed by her identities as a Black woman and first-generation college graduate.

Mya earned a bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in higher education with a concentration in public policy from the University of Michigan, where she was a Rackham Merit Fellow. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Mya worked as a Senior Analyst at Ithaka S+R.

Learn more about SHEEO’s staff and current work at sheeo.org.

Early Bird Registration Now Open for 2026 Higher Education Policy Conference

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to host the 2026 Higher Education Policy Conference in Chicago, Illinois, August 3-6, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis Chicago.

The annual Policy Conference is the preeminent gathering of leaders from the state higher education policy agencies, national higher education policy organizations, institutions, and state and federal governments. 

Look for the full conference agenda to be made available in the coming weeks. Register now through July 1 to take advantage of early bird pricing. Register here!

We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

Despite record $130.7 billion in public higher education appropriations, 2025 sees first per-student funding decrease since 2012 

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College enrollments increase, outpacing public funding increases 

An increase in enrollment at public colleges and universities has outpaced public funding increases, resulting in a 1.0% decline in per-student funding for fiscal year (FY) 2025. The 2025 State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report, published by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), finds that after adjusting for inflation, public higher education appropriations increased 2.6% over 2024. The $130.7 billion state and local governments allocated in higher education appropriations represents the highest level of public funding in the SHEF dataset, which dates to 1980. Full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment increased 3.6% over 2024, from 10.4 million students to 10.8 million students. Due to the continuing rebound in FTE enrollment, higher education appropriations on a per-student basis declined 1.0% from $12,205 per student in FY 2024 to $12,082 per student in FY 2025. This represents the first reduction in public support on a per-student basis since 2012. 

Despite this decrease, inflation-adjusted education appropriations per FTE were 9.2% greater than pre-Great Recession levels in 2008, and 16.4% greater than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in 2019. 

Additional findings from this year’s report include:

  • After over a decade of declines, public FTE enrollment increased again in 2025, reaching 10.8 million students, up 3.6% since 2024. Despite this increase, FTE enrollment was still 1.3% below the 2019 pre-pandemic level and down 7.2% from an enrollment peak in 2011. 
  • Education appropriations per FTE decreased 1.8% at two-year institutions and 0.6% at four-year institutions. Although national-level education appropriations have grown since 2019, 24 states continue funding higher education at a lower level than prior to the Great Recession.
  • State public financial aid per FTE increased 5.1% from 2024 to 2025 and reached an all-time high of $1,271 per FTE enrolled student. These funds made up 9.3% of all education appropriations. Financial aid per FTE increased in 26 states and Washington, D.C., in the last year.
  • Inflation-adjusted net tuition and fee revenue decreased 3.5% in 2025. Public institutions received $7,459 per FTE in net tuition and fee revenue in 2025. In 42 states and Washington, D.C., public institutions collected less tuition revenue than they did five years ago. Decreases in net tuition revenue are largely due to increases in state financial aid and minimal tuition rate growth (lower than the rate of inflation). Despite recent declines, since 1980, net tuition and fee revenue per FTE has increased in all but one state (Nevada) and has increased by more than 100% in 41 states.
  • Total education revenue decreased 1.9% from 2024 to 2025, falling to $19,443 per FTE. This marks the third consecutive year of declines after a decade of increases. 
  • The national average student share remained below 40% in 2025 for just the second time since 2010, decreasing to 38.4%. Twenty-four states and Washington, D.C., saw declines, but student tuition and fees funding public higher education still comprised more than 50% of total revenues in 18 states. Continued increases in education appropriations and declines in net tuition revenue have reduced the proportion of total revenue financed by students. 

The 2025 SHEF findings demonstrate a nuanced funding picture for the higher education sector. Inflation-adjusted higher education appropriations from state and local governments increased in 2025, however, this increase was outpaced by FTE enrollment gains, leading to the first reduction in per-student funding since 2012. Additionally, the continued decline in net tuition revenue suggests that the two primary sources of revenue for public institutions will be under greater pressure in the coming years. 

“While we are encouraged that public funding remained strong in 2025 and enrollment has continued to recover from pandemic lows, the first reduction in per student funding in more than a decade suggests we are moving into a period of increased volatility,” said SHEEO President Rob Anderson. “Funding public higher education helps states achieve affordability, attainment, and meet workforce goals, so maintaining a stable and predictable funding environment is important for states to receive a strong and continued return on their investment.”

The SHEF report broadly addresses the wide variation in how states fund public higher education. However, state-specific context is important when discussing higher education finance trends. “National averages provide a useful benchmark, but they often hide significant variation at the individual state level,” said Dustin Weeden, Associate Vice President at SHEEO and co-author of the report. “While education appropriations at the national level have fared very well in recent years, eight states and Washington, D.C., provided less funding per FTE student in 2025 than they did in 2019. As we move into an environment of constrained state budgets, the higher education sector sits at a crossroads where a period of significant volatility could affect the long-term success and sustainability of the sector and growth in state economies.”

The full SHEF report paints a more complete picture of differences in public higher education finance across states.

Explore the SHEF website to read the full report and customize the interactive data visualizations, including individual state profiles. Look for more data from SHEF to be added to the website in the coming months. 

New Strong Foundations report examines state efforts in understanding rurality in higher education

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A new report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) looks at how state higher education agencies are collecting and using postsecondary student unit record systems. Informed by a 2025 survey of state higher education agencies, the report, Strong Foundations 2025: Insights into State Postsecondary Rural Data, has a special emphasis on state data efforts for rural learners and institutions. The new report summarizes key findings from the survey, highlighting how states use data to advance policy and outcomes for rural communities. 

The Strong Foundations 2025 survey examines the extent to which state agencies collect and use rural data, the catalysts for their work, and the challenges and opportunities they encounter in using this information to inform policy and practice. The data provides improved insight into state rural contexts – both on the ground realities and the potential and limitations of current data systems to inform and reflect those contexts.

Thirty-seven percent of agencies said they collect or use data related to rural learners, rural institutions, or rural-serving institutions; however, most respondents (87%) said they do not have formal definitions for these categories. Defining rurality was the most cited challenge in conducting rural data work. States are drawing on a variety of sources to analyze rural learners, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, IPEDS, the U.S. Department of Education, and their state economic development offices, among others.

“For both rural learners and the institutions that serve them, geography and socioeconomic conditions are central to postsecondary opportunity and to the vitality of rural communities more broadly,” said Stephen Mayfield, Senior Policy Analyst at SHEEO. 

“Research shows the notion that proximity to college matters,” said Jessica Colorado, Senior Policy Analyst at SHEEO. “For rural-serving institutions, rurality presents challenges in resources and capacity, even though those institutions have deep importance to their communities.”

State higher education agencies were asked about the types of data they are collecting, their connections to other state agency data systems and state longitudinal data systems (SLDSs), data disaggregation, and the collection of data elements.

Updated dashboards with survey responses, and the new report can be found online at postsecondarydata.sheeo.org. Blog posts highlighting analysis and other findings from the survey are forthcoming.

Now seeking nominations for the 2026 David L. Wright Memorial Award

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association is excited to announce the ninth annual SHEEO Excellence Awards program to recognize the leadership, dedication, and innovation in exceptional SHEEOs, agency staff, and agencies. 

We request nominations for the following award:

  • The David L. Wright Memorial Award – This award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education, who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member, from a member agency, who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright, and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize the excellent work of our members and are eager to receive your nominations. Nominations are due by Friday, May 1, 2026. Any questions can be directed to Jessica Duren at jduren@sheeo.org.

Additional information, including the nomination form, and awards timeline, can be found here. 

SHEEO launches national initiative to expand holistic advising for student success

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Seven state teams to participate

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) today announced the launch of a new, two-year national initiative designed to strengthen state leadership in building research-based advising systems that support all students. Holistic Advising for Student Success will engage seven participating states—Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, South Carolina, and Washington—in a sequenced program of assessment, coaching, and in-person collaboration.

Despite strong evidence that proactive, relationship-centered advising improves retention, accelerates completion, and enhances student success, advising systems across the country remain fragmented—often split among academic planning, financial aid, basic needs, and career pathways. This fragmentation can slow student momentum, especially for learners who are furthest from opportunity. State leadership is essential to bridge these gaps and align funding, data systems, accountability measures, and expectations to enable institutions to implement holistic advising at scale.

Supported by generous funding from ECMC Foundation and in partnership with MDRC, a nonpartisan research and policy organization, SHEEO will lead a two-year, multi-state learning community focused on strengthening advising ecosystems through evidence-based strategies, policy design, and cross-sector collaboration. Participating states will receive individualized technical assistance, coaching, and access to peer learning opportunities to assess their current advising landscapes, identify policy levers for reform, and advance durable models that center students and their full range of needs. 

“This learning community recognizes that advising is not just an academic function but is a critical driver of student belonging and success,” said John Lane, Vice President for Academic Affairs at SHEEO. “By equipping states with the tools and partnerships needed to align advising across systems, we can ensure every student receives coordinated support from enrollment to completion.” 

Dr. Alex Mayer, Director of MDRC’s Postsecondary Education Policy Area at MDRC, adds, “Holistic advising is at the heart of the most effective student success strategies in higher education. We’re excited to be part of this ambitious initiative to help states use rigorous evidence to enhance and strengthen their advising strategies to help more students succeed.”

State teams will develop policy agendas to scale holistic advising statewide and ensure lasting improvements in student persistence, completion, and postsecondary attainment.

For more information about the Holistic Advising for Student Success project, visit https://sheeo.org/project/holistic-advising-for-student-success/. 

About SHEEO

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staff. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership.

About MDRC

MDRC was founded in 1974 on the idea that high-quality research and evidence can play a vital role in reducing poverty and expanding opportunity in the United States. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, MDRC conducts rigorous studies of programs and policies that affect people with low incomes, actively disseminates the lessons to policymakers and practitioners, and works directly with programs and agencies to help improve their effectiveness and efficiency.