Nevada regents approved a 9% to 12% tuition increase at eight public colleges to help close a $46.5 million budget gap and avoid cuts. UNR and UNLV students will eventually pay about $1,200 more per year.

Offering financial incentives to boost student achievement is relatively new, with few states using outcome-based school funding. But an executive order from Gov. Mike Kehoe could put Missouri on track to try it.

Public confidence in higher education has plummeted in recent years amid high tuition prices, skyrocketing student loans and a dismal job market—plus ideological concerns from conservatives. Now, colleges are scrambling to prove their value to students.