Education (Higher Education)

in committee · United States · House May 1, 2025

HR 3153: Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2025

The Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2025 requires colleges and universities to provide students with a standardized financial aid offer that clearly explains college costs, grants, scholarships, and loans in plain language. The form must display direct and indirect costs of attendance, net price after grants/scholarships, and detailed loan terms including repayment options and interest rates. It mandates institutions to disclose information about private loan alternatives, Federal education benefits for veterans, and provide links to repayment calculators. All institutions receiving federal financial aid must use this standardized form starting after the Secretary of Education finalizes the required format.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires transparent financial aid disclosure to improve student access to higher education by clarifying costs and loan terms.85% confidence

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

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in committee · United States · House Jan 7, 2026

HR 6973: COURSE Credit Act

The COURSE Credit Act (HR 6973) requires colleges and universities to publicly disclose their policies on awarding college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exam scores. Specifically, institutions must publish on their websites detailed information about how many credits they grant, the minimum exam scores required (which may vary by subject or degree program), and whether credits count as full courses, electives, or exemptions. The Department of Education will also collect and annually report this data on the College Scorecard website for transparency. This bill directly affects students seeking credit for AP/IB exams and institutions of higher education by standardizing how credit policies are shared.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires colleges to disclose AP/IB credit policies, improving student access to transparent information for informed educational decisions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · United States · House May 21, 2025

HR 3534: Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2025

HR 3534, the Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2025, creates a federal program to increase the number of school-based mental health professionals. It provides federal matching funds - covering up to 50% of tuition and fees for eligible students - in partnership with graduate schools offering accredited programs in school counseling, psychology, or social work. Participating graduate institutions must match federal contributions, and priority is given to students who received Federal Pell Grants or attended specific institutions as undergraduates. The program directly affects graduate students training to become licensed school mental health providers, aiming to expand the workforce serving K-12 schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides federal matching funds to train school-based mental health professionals, directly enhancing student mental health services in schools through funding and program expansion.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill funds tuition for mental health professionals in schools via federal matching grants, directly expanding access to mental health services as a core healthcare component.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Jan 15, 2026

S 3661: PATH to Education Act

S 3661, the PATH to Education Act, creates new grants for public transit providers to partner with community colleges, Head Start programs, minority-serving institutions, career schools, and rural colleges to improve transportation access. Grants fund specific projects like adding bus stops/routes, increasing service frequency for student commutes, or covering operating costs for transit connecting to eligible institutions. The bill allocates $1 million in 2027 (rising to $5 million by 2031) for these grants, with priority given to partnerships involving schools where over 25% of students receive federal Pell Grants. This directly affects transit agencies, educational institutions serving low-income students, and Head Start participants needing reliable transportation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $1M+ in grants to improve transit access to schools, directly enhancing educational access for students at eligible institutions.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates $1M-$5M for public transit grants to fund bus routes/stops and improve student commutes to educational institutions, directly advancing transportation infrastructure access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Transportation Student Financial Aid Public Transit Rail

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 10, 2025

S 1411: PROSPECT Act

The PROSPECT Act creates grants to improve childcare access for student parents attending community colleges and minority-serving institutions. It provides access grants for free, high-quality childcare for up to 500,000 children under age 3, requiring centers to offer non-traditional hours, disability accommodations, and culturally responsive care. Impact grants will expand childcare supply through training, mentorship, and funding for providers in underserved areas, while pipeline grants support early childhood educator preparation programs to grow the childcare workforce. The bill mandates that childcare centers prioritize low-income student parents, maintain staff wages comparable to elementary educators, and provide accessible care for children with disabilities. These grants aim to reduce barriers to college completion for student parents while strengthening the infant and toddler childcare workforce.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides childcare grants for student parents at community colleges/minority-serving institutions, directly enhancing educational access and retention for higher education students.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides free childcare for student parents at colleges, removing barriers to workforce participation and aligning with employment standards through access grants and underserved area support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Higher Education Teachers

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 11, 2025

S 937: No Student Loans for Campus Criminals Act

No Student Loans for Campus Criminals Act This bill prohibits an individual who is convicted of any federal or state offense related to the individual's conduct at or during the course of a protest at an institution of higher education from receiving certain federal student loan benefits. Specifically, an individual who is convicted of such an offense shall not be eligible to have any covered loan forgiven, cancelled, waived, or modified under the Higher Education Act of 1965, under any executive order, or through any action taken by the Department of Education.  Covered loans refer to Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and loans under the Health Education Assistance Loan Program. Additionally, an individual who is convicted of such an offense shall not be eligible to receive Federal Direct Loans.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDenies student loan benefits for protest-related convictions, restricting post-conviction rights and opposing rehabilitation-focused reforms.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts federal student loan benefits for protesters at higher ed institutions, limiting educational access for a specific group under the Higher Education Act.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Feb 6, 2025

HR 1090: Truth in Tuition Act of 2025

HR 1090, the Truth in Tuition Act of 2025, requires colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid to provide clearer tuition cost information to students. Specifically, institutions must offer either a multi-year tuition and fee schedule or a single-year schedule plus a nonbinding estimate of total costs after financial aid for the full program duration, showing year-by-year costs. The bill mandates that estimates include historical accuracy data on past projections versus actual costs. This applies directly to students enrolling in undergraduate or graduate programs at participating institutions, aiming to improve cost transparency for financial planning.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires transparent tuition cost disclosure for federal aid recipients, improving student financial decision-making and access to higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate May 5, 2025

S 1590: Aviation Workforce Development Act

This bill expands the use of 529 college savings plans to cover tuition and related costs for specific aviation training. It allows students to use 529 funds for qualified aviation maintenance courses at FAA-approved Part 147 schools and qualified commercial pilot courses at FAA-approved flight schools (Part 61 or Part 141). The change directly affects students pursuing careers as aircraft maintenance technicians or commercial pilots by making these training costs eligible for tax-advantaged savings. The provision amends the Internal Revenue Code to include these specific aviation programs under existing 529 plan rules, effective after the bill's enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax-advantaged 529 plan eligibility to aviation training, extending tax benefits for education costs without new state spending.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands 529 plan eligibility for aviation training, increasing access to tax-advantaged education funding for specific career pathways in higher education.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationExpands 529 plans for aviation training, supporting workforce development in aviation - a critical transportation sub-sector, aligning with transportation workforce advancement indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Airports

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in committee · United States · Senate May 8, 2025

S 1683: PELL Act of 2025

This bill creates "Workforce Pell Grants" to support students in short-term, job-focused training programs instead of traditional degree programs. It directly affects students enrolled in state-approved programs lasting 8-15 weeks (150-600 hours) that lead to portable credentials in high-demand fields, not graduate degrees or programs exceeding 600 hours. Key provisions require programs to meet state-determined job placement (70%+ within 180 days), earnings standards (median earnings exceeding 150% of poverty line), and academic credit transferability. The program starts July 1, 2026, replacing standard Pell Grants for eligible short-term training while preventing double-benefits with other aid.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates new Pell Grants for short-term job-focused training programs, expanding higher education access and funding for non-traditional pathways with job placement/earnings requirements.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates grants for short-term job training requiring 70%+ job placement within 180 days and median earnings standards, directly advancing employment outcomes and worker earnings in high-demand fields.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Student Financial Aid Apprenticeships Workforce Development

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in committee · United States · Senate Aug 4, 2026

S 2511: College Transparency Act

The College Transparency Act establishes a federal data system to collect and analyze student-level information about college enrollment, costs, completion rates, and post-graduation outcomes. The National Center for Education Statistics must develop this system within 4 years, collecting data on student demographics, program of study, financial aid, and earnings while prohibiting sensitive information like health data or citizenship status. The system will provide public, aggregated data through an online tool that allows students and families to compare institutions and make informed education decisions. The bill repeals a previous prohibition on such a data system and amends requirements for colleges to submit data, aiming to reduce reporting burdens while improving transparency. It includes privacy protections, an advisory committee with diverse representation, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or to limit student services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes federal data system for college transparency, aiding student decision-making and accountability in higher education.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill prohibits collecting sensitive data (health, citizenship) in a federal data system, protecting data privacy as a key technology policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Tags Data Reporting Government Transparency

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