Educational institutions use student data for both internal improvement initiatives and external accountability requirements (such as accreditation). Historically, institutional accountability in higher education has been informed by indirect student learning measures, such as graduation rates, research productivity, and the like. Increasingly, however, the growing costs of higher education have led to public demand for more direct measures of student learning outcomes. Institutions are employing a variety of methods to address this issue, including making public the aggregate results of certain student assessments (such as end-of-course exams and performance on national assessments such as the GRE) that were previously used only for student information or internal improvement purposes.

The purpose of the SHEEO Peer Consultation Network on Student Learning and Accountability is to provide a forum for member states to communicate, share resources and best practices, and increase SHEEO agency engagement in the use of student learning outcomes for institutional reporting, accountability and improvement purposes. Through this open and informal Network, SHEEOs and states work collaboratively to create resources and tools, share experience, and provide additional opportunities that complement work already under way within many states and support new initiatives in additional states. This page is a gateway to the work of this Network.