Working with Teachers to Develop Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching

In this article, Allan Golston reflects on a visit to Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, where he saw firsthand how institutional transformation can help more students stay on track to graduation and economic opportunity. Through stronger advising, data-informed decision-making, and a student-centered culture, Harris-Stowe has significantly improved student outcomes, offering an example of how colleges and universities can move beyond access alone to help more learners complete credentials that lead to real value in the workforce.

As the field moves toward stronger accountability and outcomes-based metrics, there is growing recognition that measuring postsecondary value is more complicated than it sounds. This newsletter explores the methodological choices, data limitations, and policy questions shaping the future of the college value conversation.

REAL CHEM is helping reimagine one of higher education’s most important gateway courses: first-year chemistry. In this latest installment of his Doubling Down series, Allan Golston explores how faculty, learning scientists, and technologists are using evidence-based course design and AI-enabled tools to better support teaching and learning—helping more students stay engaged, persist through challenging STEM courses, and remain on track toward credentials and long-term opportunity.