Legislative Tracker: Quality & Accountability
On this page, you'll find proposals that seek to improve institutional quality and/or look to hold institutions or individuals responsible for their actions or performance. In addition, this page includes legislation regarding accreditation and matters related to the Department of Education, including structure and regulatory activity.
H.R. 7804 – Proprietary Education Interagency Oversight Coordination Improvement Act
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson [D-NC]
Introduced: 03/22/2024
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would establish the Proprietary Education Interagency Oversight Coordination Committee which would be composed of representatives from various federal entities, tasked with improving enforcement of federal laws, increasing accountability of proprietary institutions of higher education, ensuring quality education programs, and preventing fraud and abuse by proprietary institutions. In coordination with the committee, ED would be responsible for establishing a telephone number, website, and database to collect and monitor student complaints against proprietary institutions. The bill also calls for the annual publication of a "For-Profit College Warning List for Parents and Students" listing institutions with legal issues or eligibility concerns regarding federal education assistance.
H.R. 7725 - Embracing anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curricula, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy [R-NC]
Introduced: 03/19/2024
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would amend the HEA and prohibit graduate medical schools from receiving federal financial assistance and participating in federal student loan programs if they adopt certain policies relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The bill would allow certain exemptions and protections, such as allowing medical schools to provide instruction on unique medical needs related to a student’s sex, race, or other characteristics.
H.R. 7712/S.3978 – College Employment Accountability Act
Sponsor: Banks [Rep./R-IN]/Vance [Sen.R-OH]
Introduced: 03/19/2024
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would amend the HEA and prohibit institutions of higher education from receiving federal funds for student assistance or institutional aid if they employ undocumented and unlawful individuals. The bill would also require that institutions of higher education participate in the E-Verify Program in order to be eligible for federal funds.
S. 3727 - Proprietary Education Oversight Task Force Act
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin [D-IL]
Introduced: 2/01/2024
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill establishes the Proprietary Education Interagency Oversight Committee to improve the coordination of federal oversight of proprietary higher education institutions. This bill calls for the creation of a system that would allow students, parents, and other stakeholders to submit misconduct complaints against for-profit colleges. The committee would be required to submit an annual report to Congress outlining a summary of the complaints received, resolved, or pending against for-profit colleges and any recommendations the committee has for holding for-profit colleges accountable. Additionally, the committee would also be responsible for creating and publishing a “For-ProfIt College Warning List for Parents and Students,” to help students make informed decisions in regards to what their options are for receiving post-secondary education.
S. 3380 – Promoting Reentry through Education in Prisons (PREP) Act
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz [D-HI]
Introduced: 11/30/2023
NASFAA Summary and Analysis: This bill would establish an Office of Prison Education within the Bureau of Prisons and among other functions, the Office would be responsible for standardizing education programs in all federal prisons and correctional institutions. It would also provide training and technical assistance to state prison systems. This bill would also establish the Federal Prison Education Program to create partnerships between federal correctional institutions and education providers to create and provide quality educational programs.
S. 3355 – Changing Our Learning, Loans, Endowments, and Graduation Expectations (COLLEGE) Act
Sponsor: Sen. Scott [R-FL]
Introduced: 11/29/2023
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would require institutions with large endowments who participate in federal financial aid programs to cover a percentage of the cost of attendance of each enrolled full-time student. The greater the endowment of the institution, the higher the percentage they will be required to cover. This bill would require that these institutions collect and submit data to the ED relating to things such as cost of attendance, if the COA has increased throughout from the previous year, the amount of money in their endowment, and if the endowment has increased. The institutions will also be required to submit data to ED for purposes of program integrity.
H.R. 6259 – Student Records Protection Act
Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright [D-PA]
Introduced: 11/07/2023
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would require colleges and universities to establish record-management plans in order to be eligible for accreditation. These record management plans would be designed to provide for the custody, continued access, and disposition of student records, including student transcripts, billing, and financial aid records.
H.R.4900/S.2524 – Fair College Admissions for Students Act
Sponsor: Bowman [Rep.-D-NY] & Merkley [Sen.-D-OR]
Introduced: 07/26/2023
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would prohibit institutions receiving Title IV funds from giving preference to students in the admissions process based on their relationships to donors or alumni of the institution.
Legislative Tracker Overview | Archive: Quality & Accountability
Publication Date: 3/22/2024