Online education continues to expand. However, institutions still struggle to measure success effectively. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) provides some insights, yet it fails to capture critical program-level details needed to evaluate online learning outcomes.
As a result, institutions lack the data necessary to improve online education strategies.
Problem: IPEDS Reporting Falls Short
IPEDS tracks online course enrollments. Nevertheless, it does not provide program-level insights. Because of this, institutions are left without a comprehensive view of their online program performance.
Key Limitations of IPEDS Data:
❌ No program-level enrollment tracking – IPEDS reports courses, but it does not track degrees.
❌ No online student completion data – Although IPEDS notes program availability, it does not track graduation rates.
❌ No student success metrics – Since IPEDS does not monitor retention or persistence, institutions cannot measure long-term success.
❌ Limited demographic breakdowns – Unfortunately, key data on first-gen, military, and underrepresented students is missing.
Because of these gaps, institutions face challenges in benchmarking performance, improving programs, and making data-driven decisions.
Solution: A New Standard for Online Education Benchmarking
To bridge these gaps, the International Distance Education Benchmark Project (IDEBP) will collect program-level data that IPEDS does not track. As a result, institutions will be able to make more informed decisions.
What IDEBP Will Measure:
✅ Program-level enrollments – Disaggregated by CIP code.
✅ Online student completions – Focused on actual degree conferrals.
✅ Retention & success rates – Tracking persistence in online programs.
✅ Expanded demographic insights – Including race, gender, military status, and first-gen students.
With this data, institutions can compare performance, identify trends, and optimize online education strategies.
Why Your Institution Should Join IDEBP
Online education is growing rapidly. Therefore, institutions cannot afford to operate without reliable benchmarking data.
💡 By participating in IDEBP, your institution will:
✔ Benchmark online program success against peer institutions.
✔ Improve student success by tracking retention & completions.
✔ Strengthen policy decisions with real, data-driven insights.
✔ Be part of a national movement for better online learning data.
📢 Don’t let incomplete data hold your institution back.
👉 Join IDEBP Today and take the next step in shaping the future of online education.