This systematic synthesis examines the intended and unintended consequences of performance-based funding (PBF) policies in higher education. Within this synthesis, we focus particularly on evidence from research studies with strong causal inference designs in an effort to understand the impacts of these policies. PBF adoption is generally associated with null or modest positive effects on the intended outcomes of retention and graduation, but there is also compelling evidence that PBF policies lead to unintended outcomes related to restricting access, gaming of the PBF system, and disadvantages for underserved student groups and under-resourced institution types. PBF policies including equity provisions for colleges that enroll or graduate underserved student groups have been found to offset some of these unintended consequences. Based on this synthesis, we offer policy recommendations and directions for future research on PBF policies, including the need to consider variation in policy design and the broader state policy context.

此系统的综合研究检查了高等教育中基于绩效的资助（PBF）政策的预期和非预期的后果。在此综合报告中，我们特别关注具有强大因果推论设计的研究证据，以了解这些政策的影响。PBF的采用通常对保留和毕业的预期结果产生零或适度的积极影响，但也有令人信服的证据表明，PBF政策导致与限制访问，PBF系统的游戏以及服务不足的学生群体的不利条件相关的意外结果和资源不足的机构类型。已经发现PBF政策，包括为注册或毕业后服务不佳的学生团体的大学提供公平规定，可以抵消其中一些意外后果。