State Transfer Policy Standards Project: Centering Equity in State Transfer Reform Efforts

States must adopt an equity-focused approach to transfer policies to address racial equity gaps and make progress toward attainment goals in postsecondary education. State higher education agencies should assess transfer performance based on race and income and establish standards for creating equitable transfer policies. To support state and system-level improvements in transfer outcomes, State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) launched the State Transfer Policy Standards Project. SHEEO and the Gardner Institute worked with four states--Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington--on an intensive self-study process. These states were chosen for their diverse student populations, institutional types, and governance models. The central goal of the self-study process was to assess how well transfer systems within those states were working for students of color and low-income students. Findings from the self-study were used to develop action plans to create more efficient and equitable transfer systems within the state. To facilitate this process, SHEEO drew upon its models for working with state teams and providing technical assistance and implementation support; the Gardner Institute adapted the Foundations of Excellence Transfer process to provide valuable insights at the state level. [This project was in partnership with the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education (Gardner Institute).]