OH HB644

Creates the Higher Education Evidence-Based Innovation Fund in the state treasury to award competitive grants to Ohio's public colleges and universities for adopting evidence-based student success programs focused on improving retention, completion rates, and time-to-degree, with emphasis on low-income students

Requires the Chancellor of Higher Education to open a competitive grant period at least once every two years beginning in 2027, with preference given to applications proposing tier-three reforms (those with proven sizable impacts on student achievement)

Grant applications must include plans for increasing completion/graduation rates, annual benchmarks for student outcomes, evaluation methodology using experimental designs when feasible, and sustainability plans for after grant funding ends

Establishes grant award criteria developed in consultation with the Department of Education and Workforce and Department of Job and Family Services, covering student outcomes, student access, program scalability, and evidence quality

Requires the Chancellor to conduct a feasibility study on adding employment and earnings criteria to program retrenchment processes, comparing wage outcomes of postsecondary degrees to high school diplomas, with a report due to the General Assembly within one year