Ending Unfunded Mandates in Higher Education - Using Completion-Goals Funding to Improve Accountability and Outcomes

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

The report argues the United States cannot reach higher education completion goals without changing how public colleges and universities are funded. Current models are described as creating unfunded mandates by requiring completion improvements without providing essential funding until after results appear. Complete College America proposes completion-goals funding, which provides funds up front while requiring colleges to meet completion targets, linking proven reforms to accountability and improved outcomes, especially for historically excluded students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Defining Completion-Goals Funding

Introducing Completion-Goals Funding

Six Reasons for Moving Toward a New Higher Education Funding Model

Accelerate Current Improvements in College Completion

Meet U.S. Employers’ Needs and Maintain U.S. Competitiveness

Control Both Tuition Costs and Student Debt

Create More Equitable Outcomes

Encourage Colleges to Adopt Essential Reforms

Meet State Completion and Economic Goals

Understanding Current Higher Education Funding Models

Completion-Goals Funding Addresses Five Critical Problems

A Closer Look at Completion-Goals Funding

Completion-Goals Funding Step by Step

Next Steps for Completion-Goals Funding: Long-Term Commitments and Support from CCA

Appendix: State-by-State Completion Goals and Progress

Endnotes

Acknowledgments

ENDING UNFUNDED MANDATES in Higher Education USING COMPLETIONGOALS FUNDING to Improve Accountability and Outcomes Complete College America (CCA) builds movements for scaled change and transforms institutions. Specifically, CCA drives systemic change that leads to better college completion rates; more equitable outcomes; and greater economic and social mobility, especially for historically excluded students. CCA operates at the federal, state, and institutional levels and works with its national network of forward-thinking state and higher education leaders. Since its founding in 2009, CCA and its network have introduced bold initiatives that help states andinstitutions implement data-driven policies, student-centered perspectives, and equity-driven practices. This publication is copyrighted by Complete College America. Complete College America grants this limited license for the following uses of this publication: (1) You may copy and redistribute the material in digital or paper format for noncommercial use, and (2) you may adapt this publication by transforming it or building upon the material for any noncommercial use. These licensed uses are granted on the condition that you must give appropriate credit to Complete College America, include a copy of this license language, and indicate if changes were made. You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain. No warranties are given. This license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. Citation: Complete College America. Ending Unfunded Mandates in Higher Education: Using Completion-Goals Funding to Improve Accountability and Outcomes. (2023) . [https://completecollege.org/resource/EndingUnfundedMandates](https://completecollege.org/resource/EndingUnfundedMandates) CONTENTS Executive Summary 2 Defining Completion-Goals Funding 3 Introducing Completion-Goals Funding 4 Six Reasons for Moving Toward a New Higher Education Funding Model 6 1. Accelerate Current Improvements in College Completion 7 2. Meet U.S. Employers’ Needs and Maintain U.S. Competitiveness 9 3. Control Both Tuition Costs and Student Debt 10 4. Create More Equitable Outcomes 11 5. Encourage Colleges to Adopt Essential Reforms 12 6. Meet State Completion and Economic Goals 12 Understanding Current Higher Education Funding Models 13 Completion-Goals Funding Addresses Five Critical Problems 15 A Closer Look at Completion-Goals Funding 16 Completion-Goals Funding Step by Step 24 Next Steps for Completion-Goals Funding: Long-Term Commitments and Support from CCA 27 Appendix: State-by-State Completion Goals and Progress 28 Endnotes 30 Acknowledgments 32 COMPLETE COLLEGE AMERICA Ending Unfunded Mandates in Higher Education: Using Completion-Goals Funding to Improve Accountability and Outcomes 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The United States cannot meet its higher education goals without changing the way it funds public colleges and universities. Current funding models do not sufficiently advance fully scaled improvements. Instead, today’s models create unfunded mandates: Colleges are required to increase completion rates, but they do not receive essential funding until after improvements make an impact. Complete College America (CCA) addresses this challenge with completion-goals funding, a new approach to managing higher education resources, helping colleges introduce proven reforms, and dramatically increasing completion rates. With completion-goals funding, colleges receive funds up front, and then they must meet completion targets. Completion-goals funding—an evolution of outcomes-based funding—is the next step in improving outcomes and meeting state completion goals. States Need a New Higher Education Funding Model Over the past 13 years, CCA has worked with states across the country to introduce outcomes-based funding. While the specific funding formulas vary,

FAQs

Why are current higher education funding models considered insufficient?

The report states current models do not sufficiently advance fully scaled improvements and create unfunded mandates—colleges must raise completion rates without receiving essential funding until after improvements show impact.

What is completion-goals funding?

Completion-goals funding is presented as an outcomes-based evolution where colleges receive funds up front and must meet completion targets, strengthening the connection between funding, proven strategies, and measurable results.

How does completion-goals funding relate to equity and student outcomes?

The report emphasizes that outcomes-based funding often fails to support institutions most in need, especially those serving historically excluded students. Completion-goals funding is positioned as a way to improve accountability and outcomes for those students while advancing completion goals.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Connor