Utilizing the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) for Institutional & System Change in Times of Uncertainty

This half-day virtual conference was dedicated to highlighting the value of the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) for institutional- and system-level decision making. The event was organized by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) and sponsored by the National Student Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse), with the assistance of other national higher education associations supporting the PDP (Achieving the Dream–ATD, American Association of State Colleges and Universities–AASCU, and Complete College America–CCA).

Within a few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped higher education, forcing college courses online, closing college housing, and necessitating a redesign of student support services. Planning for this fall is still uncertain as the virus continues to impact the entire United States and the world. It is imperative during times of uncertainty for institutional and state leaders to utilize student information for both short- and long-term data-informed decision-making. To this end, the PDP is a nationwide effort to help colleges and universities gain a fuller picture of student progress and outcomes, meet various reporting requirements, and identify where to focus their resources. The Partnership is dedicated to the idea that easier access to better data helps us develop actionable insights and make informed decisions to support student success.

Links to Session PowerPoints are Provided Below:

Keynote: Practical Approaches to Building a Culture of Evidence-Based Decision Making to Support Student Success

Dr. Jillian Kinzie, associate director, Center for Postsecondary Research and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Institute, Indiana University School of Education

The value of data as a means to initiate and inform discussions has never been more important than during these challenging times. The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with already established higher education calls for equity, quality student learning, and improved student outcomes has intensified the need for a culture of decision making using an evidence-based, data informed framework. This keynote discussed how to create a data-informed culture at your institution or state system, with the goal of providing practical approaches and tools to help advance student success.

Concurrent Breakouts #1 

• Institutional Perspectives on the PDP (presented by ATD/AASCU)
• State Level Perspectives on the PDP (presented by SHEEO/CCA)

Concurrent Breakouts #2 

• Using the PDP Tableau Dashboards to Evaluate Student Success (presented by the National Student Clearinghouse)
• Using the PDP Analysis-Ready File for Deep Dives (presented by SHEEO)

Speakers:

Keynote: Jillian Kinzie, Associate Director, Center for Postsecondary Research and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Institute, Indiana University School of Education

Eric Godin, Associate Vice President, SHEEO

Michelle Blackwell, Manager Data Partnerships, National Student Clearinghouse

Laurie Heacock, Senior Advisor, Data and Analytics, Achieving the Dream

Bobbie Frye, Strategic Data & Technology Coach, Achieving the Dream

Bao Le, Director, Data Analytics & Impact, Center for Student Success, American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Dhanfu Elston, Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President for Strategy, Complete College America

Lisa Stich, Senior Specialist, Postsecondary Data Partnership, National Student Clearinghouse

Ken McVearry, Senior Specialist, Postsecondary Data Partnership, National Student Clearinghouse

Kelsey Heckert, Data Analyst, SHEEO