Measuring value-added in higher education: conditions and caveats - results from using the Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress (MAPP™)

The Commission on the Future of Higher Education in the USA emphasises accountability in higher education as one of its key areas of interest. A programme, called the Voluntary System of Accountability, was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of general public college education. This study examines how students progress in college, indicated by the performance difference between freshmen and seniors after controlling for admission scores, can be measured using the Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress (MAPP) test. A total of 6196 students from 23 institutions was included in this study. Results indicated that MAPP was able to differentiate between the performance of freshmen and seniors after controlling for SAT (R)/ACT scores. The institutions were classified into 10 groups on the basis of the difference in the actual versus expected MAPP performance. The assumptions and implications of linking student learning growth to institutional effectiveness are discussed. Methodological issues on value-added calculation and student motivation in taking standardised tests are also noted.