Quality Assurance Funding
Tennessee was the first state to utilize quality metrics in state funding. For nearly 50 years, Quality Assurance Funding (QAF) has provided incentives for all public colleges and universities to measure student learning and institutional effectiveness as part of the continuous improvement process. Institutions may earn an additional 5.45 percent over operating budgets based on performance on metrics particular to their sector and aligned to the Tennessee Higher Education Master Plan. Quality Assurance Funding standards are evaluated every five years to ensure alignment with the public agenda and state high education priorities. The QAF Advisory Committee is comprised of governing board and institutional leadership collaborating with THEC staff to revise the standards that are then approved by the Commission.
The 2026-2031 QAF Steering Committee finalized its work revising standards and scoring protocols in December 2025, and the revised standards were approved by the Commission in February 2026.
- Performance Funding 1978 – 1982 Standards (pilot cycles)
- Cycle 1: Performance Funding 1982 – 1987 Standards
- Cycle 2: Performance Funding 1987 – 1992 Standards
- Cycle 3: Performance Funding 1992 – 1997 Standards
- Cycle 4: Performance Funding 1997 – 2000 Standards
- Cycle 5: Performance Funding 2000 – 2005 Standards
- Cycle 6: Performance Funding 2005 – 2010 Standards
- Cycle 7: Performance Funding 2010 - 2015 Standards
- Cycle 8: Quality Assurance Funding 2015-20 Standards
- Cycle 9: Quality Assurance Funding 2020-2025 Standards