Over the past decade, the United States has seen hundreds of postsecondary institution closures, growing concerns around the returns on investment for postsecondary credentials, and volatility in state funding for public universities. This has raised concerns about postsecondary institutional quality among state policymakers, advocates, and students. It has also sparked renewed interest in the roles and responsibilities of the three entities in the regulatory triad entrusted with assuring postsecondary quality — state governments, accreditors, and the federal government.  

This series of briefs focuses on the state’s role in postsecondary quality assurance (QA). They are intended to help education policymakers, leaders, and advocates better understand the policies, practices, and metrics states use to support postsecondary QA.

• Brief #1: An Overview of Postsecondary Quality Assurance Structures in the United States provides an overview of the program integrity triad responsible for assuring the quality of postsecondary institutions. 
• Brief #2: State Levers for Quality Assurance introduces a taxonomy and framework for categorizing state postsecondary QA efforts and their associated data elements and illustrates, at a high level, how states are engaging in this work. 
• Brief #3: State Action for Quality Assurance provides specific examples of state action to monitor and improve postsecondary quality and future considerations for the field. 

The briefs explain six common levers, beyond funding, that states use to support institutional and academic quality:

1. Public Governance Structures: States establish governance structures to oversee public colleges and universities’ policy, planning, and management.  
2. Authorization and Reauthorization: State regulatory bodies authorize private and out-of-state IHEs to operate and offer educational programs within their state.
3. Program Approval and Review: State regulatory bodies conduct approvals and periodic reviews to ensure that academic programs within institutions comply with state educational standards and legal requirements for continued operation.
4. Data Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination: States set institutional data reporting requirements, mainly for public institutions, to monitor compliance, performance, and progress toward educational objectives. 
5. Consolidation and Closure: States may use their regulatory authority to merge multiple academic institutions or programs under a unified administrative structure to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance educational outcomes. When an IHE closes, states have requirements (e.g., teach-out agreements, student record retention requirements) that the IHE must follow to support students’ transition to other IHEs. 
6. Consumer Protection: States employ consumer protection measures (e.g., financial stability reporting, disclosure requirements) to ensure that postsecondary institutions provide transparent, accurate information about programs and outcomes, safeguard students’ financial investments, and uphold standards to prevent fraud and abuse.