This document is the first in a new series of Data Notes that share research results from our High-Performing Transfer Partnerships (HPTP) study. Our inquiry process relies on a mixed-methods research design that includes student-level data from 15 states affiliated with the national initiative on reverse credit transfer called Credit When It's Due (CWID). Our HPTP study involves analyzing the CWID dataset to identify pairs of high-performing transfer partnerships, defined as two- and four-year institutional pairs that outperform others in their state at transferring, retaining and graduating students, based on aggregate and disaggregated data. This Data Note explains the rationale for our overall HPTP research, and provides a brief overview of the existing literature on transfer partnerships.