Giving Compass' Take:

•  Amelia Harper, writing for Education Dive, discusses the implications of sharing student data with universities in an attempt to increase enrollment. 

• What are the potential downsides to sharing student data?  What are alternatives to increasing enrollment?  

•  Read about some ideas on how to improve college enrollment with AI. 

The College and Career Interest Task Force in Illinois is looking at ways to stem the flood of high school graduates attending colleges in other states and is set to present several options to the Illinois legislature by Jan. 30, Chalkbeat reports.

Among the committee's considerations are ways to provide public universities with better access to student data, especially about students’ attitudes and interest in college, so these institutions can find ways to make themselves more attractive to students.

The idea of sharing student information with universities may help students gain more information about possible college opportunities. However, state and school leaders need to keep in mind the type of data being shared and how well personal information is being protected. The information also should only be shared with the student’s permission.

However, for students who are looking at college options, the opportunity to examine these options more closely may be helpful. For students reluctant to apply for fear of rejection, the targeted information sent to them may encourage them to pursue the possibilities.  Colleges also benefit by having the opportunity to shape programs according to student interests gained via the data.

However, the best way to encourage student attendance at public colleges would be to make public colleges more affordable. In Illinois, for instance, in-state tuition costs are significantly higher than the national average, and the cost of living is higher as well.

According to an article by CNBC, the average cost of attendance to public four-year institutions has experienced a 213% increase in the past 30 years, compared to a 129% increase for private non-profit four-year institutions.

Read the full article about K-12 data sharing for colleges by Amelia Harper at Education Dive