| Title: |
State-Level Responses to U.S. Federal Policy on State Authorization for Higher Education |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Natow, Rebecca S. (ORCID 0000-0003-2948-1904); Reddy, Vikash; Ioannou, Victoria |
| Source: |
Education Policy Analysis Archives. Jan 2023 31(4). |
| Availability: |
Colleges of Education at Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. c/o Editor, USF EDU162, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650. Tel: 813-974-3400; Fax: 813-974-3826; Web site: https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/epaa |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
29 |
| Publication Date: |
2023 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Responses; Higher Education; Educational Policy; Policy Formation; Program Implementation; State Policy; State Government; Accountability; Federal Government; Federal State Relationship; Nongovernmental Organizations; Compliance (Legal) |
| Geographic Terms: |
California; Illinois; Massachusetts; North Carolina; Pennsylvania |
| ISSN: |
1068-2341 |
| Abstract: |
In the United States, higher education institutions must be authorized as postsecondary education providers -- through a process known as state authorization -- to be eligible to receive federal student financial aid funds. Through state authorization policies, state governments play a key role in maintaining accountability for higher education. Since 2010, the federal government has issued a series of significant reforms on postsecondary state authorization; yet little is known about how state-level officials implement these policies. The purpose of this multi-case study was to analyze the experiences of five states (California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) responding to federal policy on postsecondary state authorization. Through semi-structured interviews with 25 officials across the five states and analysis of policy-relevant documents, this study found much consistency in the ways policy actors responded to federal state authorization policies. This study also found that states' implementation of these policies was challenged by insufficient staff capacity, limited communications with the federal department of education, complexity of federal policies, and high compliance costs. Intermediary organizations and policy actors' networks played important roles in many aspects of states' responses to the policies. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2023 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1383851 |
| Database: |
ERIC |