What Next Generation Artists Funding Covers (and Excludes)

Assessing Performance in Higher Education: A Guide for Scholarship Recipients and Administrators under the Scholarship Grant for Music, Art, Dance, Theater & Film Students Program The Scholarship Grant for Music, Art, Dance, Theater & Film Students, funded by a Banking Institution, is designed to support exemplary high school seniors and college students pursuing artistic excellence. As part of the grant requirements, higher education institutions play a critical role in measuring the outcomes of these scholarship recipients. This involves understanding the specific metrics and reporting requirements set forth by the funder. ### Metrics for Success: Understanding Required Outcomes and KPIs To comply with the grant's measurement requirements, institutions must track and report on the academic and artistic progress of scholarship recipients. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may include academic achievement metrics such as GPA, retention rates, and graduation rates, as well as artistic performance indicators like exhibition or performance participation, awards, or other recognitions. The grant's focus on 'artistic excellence' and 'continued study' implies that metrics related to the development of artistic skills and the pursuit of further education in the arts are particularly relevant. Moreover, given the grant's funding range of $1,000–$2,500, administrators should be prepared to assess how this level of support impacts student outcomes. The Higher Education Act (HEA) and related programs, such as the TEACH Grant program, provide a framework for understanding the regulatory environment and the types of metrics that are commonly used in higher education assessment. For instance, the TEACH Grant program requires recipients to fulfill specific teaching service requirements in exchange for the grant, illustrating the importance of tracking student outcomes related to both academic achievement and post-graduation career paths. Similarly, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) has introduced new reporting requirements for institutions receiving emergency relief funding, underscoring the need for robust data collection and reporting mechanisms. ### Operationalizing Measurement: Challenges and Best Practices One of the delivery challenges unique to the higher education sector is the need to balance the collection of detailed outcome data with the protection of student privacy, particularly under regulations like the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). To address this challenge, institutions can implement robust data management systems that ensure compliance with FERPA while still allowing for the tracking of relevant KPIs. Another challenge lies in attributing outcomes directly to the scholarship support, given that students may receive a range of other forms of financial assistance and support during their academic careers. To effectively measure the impact of the Scholarship Grant for Music, Art, Dance, Theater & Film Students, institutions should establish clear data collection protocols at the outset of the grant period. This may involve working closely with financial aid offices, academic advisors, and faculty mentors to gather comprehensive data on scholarship recipients. The use of grants for higher education, such as the HEERF grant, has also highlighted the importance of flexibility in responding to changing student needs, suggesting that institutions should be prepared to adapt their measurement strategies as necessary. One concrete regulation that applies to this sector is the Higher Education Act (HEA), which governs many aspects of federal student aid and has implications for the administration of scholarship programs. A verifiable delivery challenge is the need for institutions to manage the administrative burden associated with tracking and reporting on scholarship recipients, particularly when these efforts are not fully supported by existing infrastructure or staffing. Q: How should we track the artistic achievements of our students when they participate in external exhibitions or performances not directly affiliated with our institution? A: Institutions can work with students to collect documentation of their external participation, such as letters or certificates from exhibition or performance organizers, and incorporate this information into their overall assessment of student outcomes. Q: Are there specific reporting templates or formats that we need to use when submitting data on scholarship recipients to the funder? A: While the funder may provide guidance on preferred reporting formats, institutions should ensure that their reporting mechanisms are compliant with relevant regulations, such as FERPA, and are capable of capturing the specific metrics required by the grant. Q: Can we use the data collected for this grant to inform our broader institutional assessment and planning efforts? A: Yes, the data collected for the Scholarship Grant for Music, Art, Dance, Theater & Film Students can be valuable for informing broader institutional assessment and planning, particularly if it is integrated into existing data collection and analysis frameworks.