Overview: Better Data. Better Decisions. Better Outcomes.
Across the country, colleges collect vast amounts of student data — but too often, it remains siloed, inconsistent, or disconnected from strategy. The Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) changes that.
The PDP is a transformational analytics tool that organizes standardized data into interactive dashboards, turning complex metrics and benchmarks into clear visual insights. Colleges can track early momentum indicators, monitor outcomes over time, and compare performance with peers — translating data into action that drives improvement.
Through the PDP, institutions gain a unified data infrastructure that reveals how students enroll, progress, complete, or transfer — and where interventions can have the greatest impact. Achieving the Dream (ATD) helps colleges use PDP tools and dashboards to strengthen data-informed decision-making, align strategies with goals, and accelerate student success.
Because the PDP uses shared metrics, every new college that joins enriches the national data ecosystem — making insights stronger for everyone.
Learn how the PDP is transforming the way colleges and universities measure student success so that every student can thrive.
Why It Matters
Community colleges need access to timely, comprehensive data to identify barriers, close equity gaps, and design strategies that improve persistence and completion. Yet, many institutions face three common challenges:
- Fragmented data that excludes part-time, transfer, or returning students
- Reporting burdens that require submitting data to multiple agencies and initiatives
- Limited use of early momentum indicators — like first-year credit completion — that predict long-term success
The PDP addresses these gaps by standardizing data submission and offering actionable dashboards that colleges can use to inform institutional planning, resource allocation, and student supports. With the right data at the right time, colleges can focus less on reporting and more on results.
Key Benefits of the PDP
- Comprehensive coverage of all new students — full-time, part-time, transfer, and spring/summer-start learners — except current dual enrollment students
- Intersectional insights that allow colleges to disaggregate data across multiple demographic characteristics to uncover hidden disparate patterns of student experiences
- Actionable early momentum indicators that reveal student progress in real time
- Transfer tracking that provides a clearer picture of how students move between institutions and systems
- Benchmarking and comparison tools to help colleges understand performance in context
- Reduced data burden through a single submission and shared access across initiatives
- Data-informed collaboration that engages leaders, faculty, and staff in shared understanding and improvement
Hear from partners and leaders about the key benefits of the PDP.
How the PDP Works
At its core, the PDP streamlines and strengthens how colleges collect, manage, and use student data. Colleges submit a single set of files — including cohort and course information — to the National Student Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse validates, processes, and integrates the data into dashboards that visualize key metrics, such as first-year credit attainment, gateway course success, and retention, as well as comprehensive student-level files that allow colleges to conduct additional analyses of the student experience.
These dashboards and files give colleges a clear, consistent view of student performance over time and across student groups, providing the foundation for informed decision-making.
ATD’s Role
As a PDP partner organization, ATD helps colleges move from data collection to data activation. We guide institutions through each stage of PDP participation — from enrollment and submission to analysis and strategic action — ensuring that the data is used effectively to advance equitable student outcomes.
Our support includes:
- Onboarding and training through PDP courses on data submission and dashboard usage
- Hands-on coaching to interpret dashboards and analyze subgroup outcomes
- Integration guidance to connect PDP insights with strategic planning, policy, and student supports
- Peer learning opportunities that connect colleges using the PDP to share best practices and lessons learned
- The creation of a new suite of PDP tools and resources to help you make the most of your PDP experience
Complete the below form to access the Inquiry Guide to the PDP Dashboards.
PDP Inquiry Guide to the PDP Dashboards
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Complete the below form to access the Momentum Data Explorer.
Momentum Data Explorer
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