The Commission expressed concern about a lack of adequate means for measuring an institutions performance. "[P]arents and students have no solid evidence , comparable across institutions, of how much students learn in colleges or whether they learn more at one college than another. Similarly, policy makers need more comprehensive data to help them decide whether the national investment in higher education is paying off and how taxpayer dollars could be used more effectively."

In recognition of this concern, the Commission recommends the creation of a searchable database "with useful, reliable information on institutions" including information on "price, admissions data, college completion rates, and, eventually, learning outcomes."

Also recommended is the collection and analysis of "student-level data" such that an institution could be evaluated "by determining the success of each institution's students without knowing the identities of those students."

The Commission further recommends a revamped accreditation process for colleges and universities, with a particular focus on performance outcomes.