State Priorities for Higher Education in 2026
Saved in:
| Title: | State Priorities for Higher Education in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rachel Burns, Corey Gheesling, Tom Harnisch, Kelsey Heckert, John Lane, Dustin Weeden, Christina Whitfield, State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) |
| Source: | State Higher Education Executive Officers. 2026. |
| Availability: | State Higher Education Executive Officers. 3035 Center Green Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: 303-541-1600; Fax: 303-541-1639; e-mail: sheeo@sheeo.org; Web site: http://www.sheeo.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Evaluative |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Higher Education, State Policy, Educational Policy, Public Colleges, Labor Force Development, Paying for College, Outcomes of Education, Educational Attainment, State Aid, Transfer Policy, College School Cooperation, Public Opinion, Data Use |
| Abstract: | Public higher education leaders will encounter a state policy environment defined by change and uncertainty in the year ahead. State higher education agencies and state lawmakers will have to make progress on ambitious state educational attainment goals in 2026 amid more limited state budgets, unstable federal funding streams, and intensifying state and federal political pressures. With last year's sweeping federal higher education policy changes entering implementation in July, continued regulatory shifts expected from Washington, and a pivotal midterm election, 2026 will shape higher education well into the 2030s. This report provides insight into the state policy priorities and concerns for higher education in 2026 through a survey of State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEOs) during November 2025. Forty-seven SHEEOs from 40 states and one territory responded to this year's survey. The team at SHEEO selected 25 policy issues based on a variety of factors: (1) The prior year's State Priorities for Higher Education for longitudinal purposes; (2) Emerging policy issues based on common themes derived from the daily SHEEO policy update, which include news and updates related to state and national higher education policy, prior survey write-in issues, recently shared concerns among SHEEOs, and upcoming legislative initiatives; and (3) Retiring policy issues that have been ranked lower in importance and held constant in survey results or specific to a historical event or period that is no longer relevant (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic concerns). Using the list of issues, SHEEOs were asked to look toward 2026 and identify the importance of each higher education issue in their respective states. Respondents chose from the following multiple-choice options for each issue: very important (5); important (4); somewhat important (3); slightly important (2); not important (1); not applicable (0). Respondents were also asked to provide context or additional information and details on each issue and were given the option to add issues to the list to inform this survey for future iterations. SHEEO staff highlights the top 10 state priorities for higher education by ranking issues according to their average score (not including zeros). The 10 issues with the highest average score are outlined below. In addition, two honorable mention issues are also included. A table showing the percentage of respondents who selected each importance category or no rank appears in the "Appendix" of this report. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679306 |
| Database: | ERIC |
Be the first to leave a comment!
