WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a statement following U.S. House of Representatives passage of the College Transparency Act (CTA). Cassidy’s bipartisan legislation ensures students and families have clear and understandable information as they compare higher education opportunities. The legislation passed by a vote of 238 to 193 in the House of Representatives. It now will move to the Senate where it is already cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 33 senators.
The CTA modernizes the college reporting system for postsecondary data by providing accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings across colleges and majors, while ensuring the privacy of individual students is securely protected.
“We are one step closer to making it easier for students to choose the school that is best for them,” said Dr. Cassidy.“As college costs and student debt continue to climb, students should have all the facts at their disposal when deciding their future education.”
The current college reporting system is overly burdensome on institutions yet provides little practical information for students and families due to significant gaps in college data reporting. Under the updated system, institutions would securely report privacy-protected, student-level data to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NCES would be responsible for securely storing student information, working with relevant federal agencies to generate post-college outcomes reports, and presenting the summary information on a user-friendly website for students and families.
This information will give students a clear understanding of the return on investment in higher education and help point them toward schools and programs of study best suited to their unique needs and desired outcomes. It will also aid institutions of learning and policymakers in their work to improve our country’s post-secondary education system.
Background
Cassidy introduced the bill last March with Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Since then, support for the bill has grown with over 150 organizations endorsing it.
The U.S. House companion legislation was introduced by U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Joe Wilson (R-SC-2), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11) and Bryan Steil (R-WI-1).
Click here for the one-page summary.
Read Sen. Cassidy’s op-ed on the College Transparency Act from May 2021 here.
###