Education (Higher Education)

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 26, 2025

S 758: Apprenticeships to College Act

S 758 establishes a voluntary "Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium" to connect apprenticeship programs with colleges. It requires the Labor and Education Secretaries to create an interagency agreement promoting data sharing between apprenticeship records and college transcripts, aligning funding from education laws, and enabling credit transfer for apprentices. The bill mandates that participating colleges and apprenticeship sponsors enter into agreements for articulation (credit recognition), electronic transcripts, and sharing program details via a public website. It directly affects students in apprenticeships, postsecondary institutions, and apprenticeship sponsors by creating structured pathways to earn college credit while completing on-the-job training. Participation is optional for all involved parties, as specified in the bill's limitations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates credit transfer pathways from apprenticeships to college, aligns education funding, and expands post-secondary access through interagency agreements.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentLinks apprenticeships to college credits for career advancement, supporting worker education and employment pathways through interagency collaboration.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Apprenticeships Workforce Development

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 28, 2025

S 2485: Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2025

The Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2025 expands federal student loan forgiveness eligibility to include more adjunct faculty members. It amends the Higher Education Act to allow loan forgiveness for adjunct, contingent, or part-time faculty who teach at least 9 credit hours per semester (or equivalent weekly hours) at colleges, vocational schools, or Tribal Colleges, provided they are not full-time employees elsewhere. The bill directly affects non-tenured faculty in temporary teaching roles who meet these specific teaching hour requirements. This change modifies existing loan forgiveness criteria to explicitly include these faculty members under the Higher Education Act.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands federal student loan forgiveness for adjunct faculty, supporting educators in higher education by reducing debt burden.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Sep 19, 2025

HR 5531: Career and Technical Education Access Act

HR 5531, the Career and Technical Education Access Act, creates a voluntary federal grant program for states to establish, expand, or improve career and technical education (CTE) programs in public secondary schools. It directly affects students in underserved communities, rural areas, and opportunity youth by requiring states to align CTE programs with local job markets through workforce assessments and mandating industry partnerships, work-based learning, and automatic college credit transfer. Key mechanisms include competitive grants for building CTE facilities, developing online/hybrid programs, and creating CTE Pell Grants to cover costs for certifications, apprenticeships, and dual-enrollment courses. States must report annually on student outcomes like graduation rates, job placements, and credential attainment to ensure accountability.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates federal grants to expand CTE programs in public schools, targeting underserved communities and requiring industry partnerships to enhance student access and career pathways.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAligns CTE with local job markets and mandates industry partnerships to improve workforce readiness and employment pathways for students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Workforce Development

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in committee · United States · House Dec 16, 2025

HR 6753: Campus Housing Affordability Act

HR 6753, the Campus Housing Affordability Act, removes a prohibition that previously barred federal housing assistance from being provided to students. It directly affects eligible students enrolled in higher education institutions who live in campus housing and qualify for tenant-based housing assistance under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. The bill adds a new provision (Section 8(o)(23)) allowing the Secretary to waive income requirements for these students, ensuring federal housing aid does not count as income when determining eligibility for other federal financial aid, work-study programs, service allowances, or child support obligations. This change streamlines access to housing support without reducing other student financial benefits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves barrier to housing aid for higher ed students, expanding educational access by enabling federal housing assistance for campus housing.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves barrier to federal housing aid for students, waiving income requirements to expand access to affordable campus housing under Housing Act of 1937.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Affordable Housing

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in committee · United States · House Feb 5, 2025

HR 1006: Higher Education Accountability Tax Act

HR 1006, the Higher Education Accountability Tax Act, increases the excise tax on investment income for private colleges and universities from 1.4% to 10% for all affected institutions, with an additional 20% tax for schools that raise tuition faster than inflation. It directly affects private colleges with annual investment income exceeding $250,000, particularly those increasing net tuition prices (for first-time, full-time undergraduates) at a rate exceeding the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over three years. The bill modifies existing tax code provisions to implement these rate changes, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024. This creates a tiered tax structure based on both investment income size and tuition growth relative to inflation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases excise tax on private colleges' investment income (1.4%→10%) with additional tax for tuition hikes exceeding CPI, promoting fiscal accountability through targeted taxation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill targets tuition increases at private colleges to promote affordability and access, a key aspect of educational access for higher education institutions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Feb 25, 2026

HR 7689: Earl N. Williams, Sr., First Chance Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act to create "basic and emergency supplemental living assistance grants" for first-year undergraduate students participating in their institution's student support services program. Basic grants cover anticipated expenses (like tuition or housing) for completing their first academic year, while emergency grants address unexpected costs (such as childcare, transportation, or personal needs) that could disrupt their studies. Grants are capped at $500 for the 2027-2028 academic year, with future limits adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index. Institutions must allocate these funds without reducing existing non-Federal support and may use up to 2% of allocated program funds for these grants.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grants to cover student living expenses, preventing disruptions and supporting higher education access and retention.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly includes housing as a covered expense for student grants, providing financial support for housing costs under student aid program.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate Sep 11, 2025

S 2782: Service Starts At Home Act

The Service Starts At Home Act (S 2782) creates two main programs: (1) grants to states and local governments for paid internships for high school students and college undergraduates in local government roles, and (2) scholarships for students based on volunteer service hours. It directly affects secondary and postsecondary students, local governments, and states by funding internships with educational value and awarding scholarships (ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 annually) to students who complete 100+ volunteer hours. Key mechanisms include competitive grant applications for internship programs, state-level scholarship administration with priority for renewal applicants, and requirements for volunteer work to be unpaid and non-religious. The bill authorizes $50 million annually for internships and $100 million annually for scholarships from fiscal years 2026-2030.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds student internships and scholarships via state/local grants, directly increasing public spending on education programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill funds paid internships for high school/college students and provides service-based scholarships ($1k-$3k), directly expanding educational access and opportunity for K-12/postsecondary students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 994: PROTECT Students Act of 2025

The PROTECT Students Act of 2025 requires institutions of higher education to disclose debt-to-earnings rates and earnings premium data to help students evaluate program value. It strengthens borrower defense protections for students misled by institutions, prohibits institutions from limiting students' legal rights to pursue claims, and mandates that institutions spend at least 30% of tuition revenue on instruction. The bill also requires transparency about institutional finances, program outcomes, and third-party relationships to help students make informed decisions. These provisions directly affect students, higher education institutions, and third-party servicers. The act aims to improve accountability and transparency in higher education, particularly for for-profit institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires transparency on debt/earnings, strengthens borrower protections, prohibits limiting legal claims, and mandates 30% tuition spend on instruction - directly advancing student protection and program value in higher education.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate Jun 25, 2025

S 2166: Head Start for Our Future Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act to allow Head Start and Early Head Start programs to hire college students through federal work-study programs. It directly affects Head Start/EHS agencies and college students participating in work-study. Key provisions require agencies to ensure student employees comply with program standards, prohibit students from being left alone with children (requiring regular staff supervision), and clarify that student workers do not count toward staff-to-child ratios. The changes integrate student employment into existing early childhood programs without altering funding or eligibility.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands work-study access for college students in Head Start programs, enhancing early childhood education workforce participation and educational access per Higher Education Act amendment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Higher Education

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in committee · United States · House Mar 31, 2025

HRES 269: Reaffirming the commitment of the Federal Government to historically Black colleges and universities and honoring their enduring legacy and contributions.

This resolution (HRES 269) is a symbolic statement honoring historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and reaffirming the federal government's existing commitment to them. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes HBCUs' role in educating nearly 300,000 students annually, producing 50% of Black teachers and 80% of Black judges, and contributing $16.5 billion to the economy. The resolution requests that federal agencies receive copies to align with ongoing support for HBCUs, though it does not alter any existing policies or resources. It directly affects HBCUs by affirming their national significance and the government’s longstanding partnership with them.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationHonors HBCUs' educational contributions, affirming federal support for higher education institutions serving Black students and educators, aligning with education access and diversity goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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