HR4806-119

What This Bill Does

The College Transparency Act creates a federal postsecondary student-level data system inside NCES. The Commissioner for Education Statistics must develop and maintain the system within four years to evaluate enrollment patterns, progression, completion, post-collegiate outcomes, higher education costs, financial aid, federal aid programs, and consumer information for students and families. The system must follow privacy and security standards under federal information-security laws, NIST practices, data minimization, student notice, and protections for personally identifiable information. Within two years, NCES must establish a Postsecondary Student Data System Advisory Committee including the Department Chief Privacy Officer, Chief Security Officer, institutions of higher education, state higher education agencies, students, federal agencies, privacy experts, consumer protection experts, and education researchers. The system must include data elements for IPEDS student-related surveys, enrollment, persistence, retention, transfer, completion, credential level, attendance intensity, race or ethnicity, age, gender, program of study, military or veteran benefit status, costs, aid, cumulative debt, employment, earnings, loan repayment, default, and further education, with prohibited student-level elements submitted only in aggregate. Institutions receiving title IV aid must submit required data; non-title IV institutions may participate voluntarily. NCES must give students access to inspect and correct their personal information, publish only aggregate consumer information through a user-friendly website and analytic tool, and issue privacy, security, breach, access, audit, retention, destruction, and data minimization rules. Section 4 ties institutional title IV participation agreements to timely data submission, and section 5 requires Education and NCES to transition in a way that reduces IPEDS reporting burden.

Who Benefits and How

Students comparing colleges benefit from program-level aggregate information on completion, costs, aid, debt, earnings, repayment, and post-college outcomes. Families evaluating college value benefit from a customizable consumer website with institution and program comparisons. Higher education researchers benefit from more complete aggregate data on enrollment, transfer, completion, and outcomes across institutions. Federal student aid analysts benefit because the system supports evaluation of aid programs and replaces duplicative student-related reporting.

Who Bears the Burden and How

National Center for Education Statistics must design, secure, maintain, audit, update, and publish the student-level data system. Institutions of higher education receiving title IV funds must collect and submit required data in a timely manner. Department privacy officers must manage personally identifiable information rules, access controls, breach protocols, and student correction processes. Students whose records enter the system bear privacy risk if federal safeguards fail despite the bill's minimization and disclosure limits.

Key Provisions

• Creates a secure privacy-protected postsecondary student-level data system within four years.
• Establishes a Postsecondary Student Data System Advisory Committee within two years.
• Requires data on enrollment, progression, completion, costs, aid, debt, earnings, loan outcomes, and further education.
• Requires student notice, inspection, correction rights, privacy rules, audits, access controls, breach protocols, and public aggregate reporting.
• Requires title IV institutions to submit data and directs the transition to reduce IPEDS reporting burden.