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.
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: 2/1/2024