Mitchell, Stefanik tout growing support for College Transparency Act

More than 220 members of the U.S. House of Representatives now support bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) that would establish a nationwide postsecondary student data system.

Rep. Mitchell sponsored the College Transparency Act, H.R. 1766, in March 2019 with Rep. Stefanik, an original cosponsor of the bill. The measure would task the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) with developing and maintaining a secure, privacy-protected postsecondary student-level data system in order to accurately evaluate student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, post-collegiate outcomes, and higher education costs and financial aid, according to the text of the bill.

Additionally, the NCES commissioner would be required to assist with transparency, institutional improvement and analysis of federal aid programs; provide more accurate, complete and customizable information for students and families making decisions about postsecondary education; and reduce the reporting burden on institutions of higher education, according to the bill’s text.

Reps. Mitchell and Stefanik on July 10 released a joint statement with bill cosponsors U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Josh Harder (D-CA) announcing that more than half of the U.S. House of Representatives have cosponsored the bill.

“When an issue brings Democrats and Republicans across the country and in both chambers of Congress together, it is critical to take action and move forward to do what is right for the American people,” the lawmakers said. “The time is now for Congress to pass the College Transparency Act and get it signed into law to ensure students can access the accurate and comprehensive information they need to make one of the most important decisions of their lifetimes.”

The lawmakers added that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed data gaps in higher education.

“As we respond to the current health and economic crisis by distributing critical federal funds to students and institutions in need, we need quality data so the federal government can ensure a fair and accurate distribution of funds, promote the wise spending of taxpayer dollars, and comprehensively assess student outcomes,” they said.

The U.S. Senate companion bill, the same-named S. 800, has 33 bipartisan cosponsors, according to the congressional record, and both versions remain under committee consideration.