Florida Performance Funding

University performance-funding bill introduced

"The House on Wednesday rolled out its version of a highly anticipated performance-funding bill for state universities, a measure that carves out the University of Florida and Florida State University from a formula proposed by the university system's Board of Governors.
The separate measurements for UF and FSU would draw on benchmarks in a law, passed by the Legislature last year, that led to those two schools being designated "pre-eminent universities." The standards for UF and FSU would also essentially be worth twice as much as the standards faced by other universities.
That approach marks a dramatic departure from the proposal by the Board of Governors.
Under the board's plan, every university would be measured against seven common benchmarks, with an eighth based on graduate degrees that would be used for every school except New College. New College would have a different eighth standard because it doesn't offer graduate degrees.
Each of the 12 universities would then also be measured against a benchmark established by the Board of Governors and another selected by the school's trustees.
The House proposal, would still hold the other 10 universities to those proposals.
Rep. Erik Fresen, the Miami Republican who sponsored the measure, said UF and FSU should be held to the same standards that the Legislature approved for them last year.
The House would push $75 million into performance funding, though only $30 million would come from "base" funding. The Senate would pump $200 million through the formula, with $100 million in new money and $100 million in base funding.
Some university presidents are skittish about the House model. Theoretically, the other schools could also be measured by the pre-eminent standards if they are designated pre-eminent universities. University of Central Florida President John Hitt said that process would be critical."

Performance Based Funding Model

Extremely detailed comparison of SUS institutions

USF second only to UF in new performance standards

"The state university system debuted the performance metrics last year, when at the urging of Gov. Rick Scott the Legislature established a $20 million pot for performance funding based on three benchmarks. USF and the University of Central Florida shared the top spot, each earning $2.6 million in bonus money."

"The Board of Governors calculated that if the Legislature allocates $50 million for performance funding, USF would receive $8.9 million with its second-place ranking. UF would get $11.7 million, and third-ranked Florida International University would earn $7.2 million."

"New metrics this year include the six-year graduation rate (62 percent at USF); the academic progress rate, or second-year retention with a grade point average above 2.0 (87 percent at USF); the percentage of bachelor’s degrees awarded in areas of strategic emphasis, including science, technology, engineering and math or STEM (46 percent at USF); the university access rate, or percent of undergraduates with a Pell grant (41 percent at USF); and graduate degrees awarded in areas of strategic emphasis, including STEM (57 percent for USF).


The Board of Governors assigned one additional performance metric to each university, with USF assigned the percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded without excess hours (56 percent at USF). Each university was allowed to choose a final performance metric; USF added the number of postdoctoral appointees (300 at USF).


Schools earned 1 through 5 points for each benchmark. UF tallied 42 points, USF 37, and FIU 34."