Acting Under Secretary of Education Jamienne Studley will deliver remarks at the American Federation of Teacher’s (AFT) National Higher Education Issues Conference on Friday, April 11, in Baltimore, Md. During a workshop on ensuring student success, Studley will discuss President Obama’s proposed college ratings system and accreditation as part of the administration’s extensive public outreach effort to gather input and feedback on the proposal. Announced last August by the President, the proposal includes developing a college rating system that provides useful data for students to compare and select colleges, while also encouraging institutions to improve.
In addition to workshops, the conference will include training sessions and forums on the challenges facing the higher education community, such as the continued disinvestment in higher education by state and local governments, the increasing influx of private money and profiteering, the drive to make higher education more efficient and cost effective through massive open online courses, and the impact of the emphasis on increasing college completion rates at all costs. The event will provide further opportunity to hear additional ideas and concerns about promoting college access, affordability and outcomes.