SHEEO will hold the fifth in a series of Communities of Practice convenings April 17-18, in Seattle, Washington. This two-day meeting will provide an opportunity for state researchers and policy analysts to address shared challenges related to developing and including metrics relevant to guided pathways and financial aid in state postsecondary data systems.

The Community of Practice will address questions such as:

• Given the proliferation of guided pathways models, what kinds of metrics should states be developing to determine which models are most effective and how to bring them further to scale?
• How can states measure gateway course completion and other momentum metrics?
• What kinds of metrics should states develop regarding financial aid, affordability, and the financial health of students and graduates?
• How can states measure debt, unmet need, and repayment status?
• For all of these metrics, how should states use their postsecondary data systems to disaggregate outcomes for low-income students, students of color, rural students, and older adults?
• How can states appropriately use FAFSA data?

The Guided Pathways and Financial Aid Metrics Community of Practice will include teams from six to eight states, SHEEO staff, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation staff, and subject-matter experts from other national education policy organizations. This convening will launch an ongoing network for Community of Practice members to share information and workshop solutions with their counterparts in other states.