Congresswoman Lori Trahan Introduces The College Data Access Act

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced the College Data Access Act. This legislation would codify the College Scorecard and mandate publicly funded institutions of higher education to prominently feature a link to the Scorecard on their website homepage. The Scorecard is an online consumer facing tool that provides students with a look at one's potential return on investment for each college.

In addition, the College Data Access Act requires the Department of Education to annually update and improve the College Scorecard so that students, parents, institutions, and researchers can utilize this important information. By continually improving this tool, prospective students will have a more complete sense of their postsecondary options.

"For many individuals and families, a college education will be one of the biggest financial investments they will ever make. As the costs of higher education continues to skyrocket, prospective students and their families are often choosing schools without any sense of their return on investment. Greater access to institution and program level data such as net costs of attendance, transfer and enrollment rates, graduation rates, average student loan debt, threshold earnings, and average earnings after graduation will empower Americans to make the decision that is right for them, without rolling the dice on their financial security," said Rep. Trahan.

"By making the College Scorecard permanent and more visible, Representative Trahan is helping colleges take a big step towards better transparency in higher education. The College Scorecard is a valuable tool that gives students and families access to key information on college costs and outcomes, and this new legislation ensures that students and families will be able to rely on it now and in the future." Said Beth Stein, Vice President, The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS)

This legislation is endorsed by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS)

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