[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3178 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3178

 To simplify and streamline the information regarding institutions of 
higher education made publicly available by the Secretary of Education, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2015

Ms. Foxx (for herself, Mr. Messer, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Kline, Mr. Scott of 
 Virginia, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Heck of Nevada, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Ms. 
 Stefanik, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. DeSaulnier) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To simplify and streamline the information regarding institutions of 
higher education made publicly available by the Secretary of Education, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Transparency in Higher 
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. COLLEGE DASHBOARD WEBSITE.

    (a) Establishment.--Section 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1015a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``first-time,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3) in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``first-time,''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``first-time,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``first-time''; 
                and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``first-time'';
            (3) by striking subsections (c) through (g), (j), and (l);
            (4) by redesignating subsections (h), (i), and (k) as 
        subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively; and
            (5) by striking subsection (d) (as so redesignated) and 
        inserting the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Consumer Information.--
            ``(1) Availability of title iv institution information.--
        The Secretary shall develop and make publicly available a 
        website to be known as the `College Dashboard website' in 
        accordance with this section and prominently display on such 
        website, in simple, understandable, and unbiased terms for the 
        most recent academic year for which satisfactory data are 
        available, the following information with respect to each 
        institution of higher education that participates in a program 
        under title IV:
                    ``(A) A link to the website of the institution.
                    ``(B) An identification of the type of institution 
                as one of the following:
                            ``(i) A four-year public institution of 
                        higher education.
                            ``(ii) A four-year private, nonprofit 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(iii) A four-year private, for-profit 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(iv) A two-year public institution of 
                        higher education.
                            ``(v) A two-year private, nonprofit 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(vi) A two-year private, for-profit 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(vii) A less than two-year public 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(viii) A less than two-year private, 
                        nonprofit institution of higher education.
                            ``(ix) A less than two-year private, for-
                        profit institution of higher education.
                    ``(C) The number of students enrolled at the 
                institution--
                            ``(i) as undergraduate students; and
                            ``(ii) as graduate students, if applicable.
                    ``(D) The student-faculty ratio.
                    ``(E) The percentage of degree-seeking or 
                certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at 
                the institution who obtain a degree or certificate 
                within--
                            ``(i) 100 percent of the normal time for 
                        completion of, or graduation from, the program 
                        in which the student is enrolled;
                            ``(ii) 150 percent of the normal time for 
                        completion of, or graduation from, the program 
                        in which the student is enrolled; and
                            ``(iii) 200 percent of the normal time for 
                        completion of, or graduation from, the program 
                        in which the student is enrolled.
                    ``(F) The average net price per year for 
                undergraduate students receiving Federal student 
                financial aid under title IV based on an income 
                category selected by the user from a list containing 
                the following income categories:
                            ``(i) $0 to $30,000.
                            ``(ii) $30,001 to $48,000.
                            ``(iii) $48,001 to $75,000.
                            ``(iv) $75,001 to $110,000.
                            ``(v) $110,001 to $150,000.
                            ``(vi) Over $150,000.
                    ``(G) A link to the net price calculator for such 
                institution.
                    ``(H) The percentage of undergraduate students who 
                obtained a certificate or degree from the institution 
                who borrowed Federal student loans and the average 
                Federal student loan debt incurred by an undergraduate 
                student who obtained a certificate or degree from the 
                institution and borrowed Federal student loans in the 
                course of obtaining such certificate or degree.
                    ``(I) A link to national and regional data from the 
                Bureau of Labor Statistics on starting salaries in all 
                major occupations.
                    ``(J) A link to the webpage of the institution 
                containing campus safety data with respect to such 
                institution.
            ``(2) Additional information.--The Secretary shall publish 
        on Internet webpages that are linked to through the College 
        Dashboard website for the most recent academic year for which 
        satisfactory data is available the following information with 
        respect to each institution of higher education that 
        participates in a program under title IV:
                    ``(A) Enrollment.--
                            ``(i) The percentages of male and female 
                        undergraduate students enrolled at the 
                        institution.
                            ``(ii) The percentages of undergraduate 
                        students enrolled at the institution--
                                    ``(I) full-time; and
                                    ``(II) less than full-time.
                            ``(iii) In the case of an institution other 
                        than an institution that provides all courses 
                        and programs through distance education, of the 
                        undergraduate students enrolled at the 
                        institution--
                                    ``(I) the percentage of such 
                                students who are from the State in 
                                which the institution is located;
                                    ``(II) the percentage of such 
                                students who are from other States; and
                                    ``(III) the percentage of such 
                                students who are international 
                                students.
                            ``(iv) The percentages of undergraduate 
                        students enrolled at the institution, 
                        disaggregated by--
                                    ``(I) race and ethnic background;
                                    ``(II) classification as a student 
                                with a disability;
                                    ``(III) recipients of a Federal 
                                Pell Grant;
                                    ``(IV) recipients of assistance 
                                under a tuition assistance program 
                                conducted by the Department of Defense 
                                under section 1784a or 2007 of title 
                                10, United States Code, or other 
                                authorities available to the Department 
                                of Defense or veterans' education 
                                benefits (as defined in section 480); 
                                and
                                    ``(V) recipients of a Federal 
                                student loan.
                    ``(B) Completion.--The information required under 
                paragraph (1)(E), disaggregated by--
                            ``(i) recipients of a Federal Pell Grant;
                            ``(ii) recipients of a loan made under part 
                        D (other than a Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
                        Stafford Loan) who did not receive a Federal 
                        Pell Grant;
                            ``(iii) persons who did not receive a 
                        Federal Pell Grant or a loan made under part D 
                        (other than a Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
                        Stafford Loan);
                            ``(iv) race and ethnic background;
                            ``(v) classification as a student with a 
                        disability; and
                            ``(vi) recipients of assistance under a 
                        tuition assistance program conducted by the 
                        Department of Defense under section 1784a or 
                        2007 of title 10, United States Code, or other 
                        authorities available to the Department of 
                        Defense or veterans' education benefits (as 
                        defined in section 480).
                    ``(C) Costs.--
                            ``(i) The cost of attendance for full-time 
                        undergraduate students enrolled in the 
                        institution who live on campus.
                            ``(ii) The cost of attendance for full-time 
                        undergraduate students enrolled in the 
                        institution who live off campus.
                            ``(iii) The cost of tuition and fees for 
                        full-time undergraduate students enrolled in 
                        the institution.
                            ``(iv) The cost of tuition and fees per 
                        credit hour or credit hour equivalency for 
                        undergraduate students enrolled in the 
                        institution less than full time.
                            ``(v) In the case of a public institution 
                        of higher education (other than an institution 
                        described in clause (vi)) and notwithstanding 
                        subsection (b)(1), the costs described in 
                        clauses (i) and (ii) for--
                                    ``(I) full-time students enrolled 
                                in the institution who are residents of 
                                the State in which the institution is 
                                located; and
                                    ``(II) full-time students enrolled 
                                in the institution who are not 
                                residents of such State.
                            ``(vi) In the case of a public institution 
                        of higher education that offers different 
                        tuition rates for students who are residents of 
                        a geographic subdivision smaller than a State 
                        and students not located in such geographic 
                        subdivision and notwithstanding subsection 
                        (b)(1), the costs described in clauses (i) and 
                        (ii) for--
                                    ``(I) full-time students enrolled 
                                at the institution who are residents of 
                                such geographic subdivision;
                                    ``(II) full-time students enrolled 
                                at the institution who are residents of 
                                the State in which the institution is 
                                located but not residents of such 
                                geographic subdivision; and
                                    ``(III) full-time students enrolled 
                                at the institution who are not 
                                residents of such State.
                    ``(D) Financial aid.--
                            ``(i) The average annual grant amount 
                        (including Federal, State, and institutional 
                        aid) awarded to an undergraduate student 
                        enrolled at the institution who receives 
                        financial aid.
                            ``(ii) The percentage of undergraduate 
                        students enrolled at the institution receiving 
                        Federal, State, and institutional grants, 
                        student loans, and any other type of student 
                        financial assistance known by the institution, 
                        provided publicly or through the institution, 
                        such as Federal work-study funds.
                            ``(iii) The cohort default rate (as defined 
                        in section 435(m)) for such institution.
                    ``(E) Faculty information.--
                            ``(i) The ratio of the number of course 
                        sections taught by part-time instructors to the 
                        number of course sections taught by full-time 
                        faculty, disaggregated by course sections 
                        intended primarily for undergraduate students 
                        and course sections intended primarily for 
                        graduate students.
                            ``(ii) The mean and median years of 
                        employment for part-time instructors.
            ``(3) Other data matters.--
                    ``(A) Completion data.--The Commissioner of 
                Education Statistics shall ensure that the information 
                required under paragraph (1)(E) includes information 
                with respect to all students at an institution, 
                including students other than first-time, full-time 
                students and students who transfer to another 
                institution, in a manner that the Commissioner 
                considers appropriate.
                    ``(B) Adjustment of income categories.--The 
                Secretary may annually adjust the range of each of the 
                income categories described in paragraph (1)(F) to 
                account for a change in the Consumer Price Index for 
                All Urban Consumers as determined by the Bureau of 
                Labor Statistics if the Secretary determines an 
                adjustment is necessary.
            ``(4) Institutional comparison.--The Secretary shall 
        include on the College Dashboard website a method for users to 
        easily compare the information required under paragraphs (1) 
        and (2) between institutions.
            ``(5) Updates.--
                    ``(A) Data.--The Secretary shall update the College 
                Dashboard website not less than annually.
                    ``(B) Technology and format.--The Secretary shall 
                regularly assess the format and technology of the 
                College Dashboard website and make any changes or 
                updates that the Secretary considers appropriate.
            ``(6) Consumer testing.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In developing and maintaining 
                the College Dashboard website, the Secretary, in 
                consultation with appropriate departments and agencies 
                of the Federal Government, shall conduct consumer 
                testing with appropriate persons, including current and 
                prospective college students, family members of such 
                students, institutions of higher education, and 
                experts, to ensure that the College Dashboard website 
                is usable and easily understandable and provides useful 
                and relevant information to students and families.
                    ``(B) Recommendations for changes.--The Secretary 
                shall submit to the authorizing committees any 
                recommendations that the Secretary considers 
                appropriate for changing the information required to be 
                provided on the College Dashboard website under 
                paragraphs (1) and (2) based on the results of the 
                consumer testing conducted under subparagraph (A).
            ``(7) Provision of appropriate links to prospective 
        students after submission of fafsa.--The Secretary shall 
        provide to each student that submits a Free Application for 
        Federal Student Aid described in section 483 a link to the 
        webpage of the College Dashboard website that contains the 
        information required under paragraph (1) for each institution 
        of higher education such student includes on such Application.
            ``(8) Interagency coordination.--The Secretary, in 
        consultation with each appropriate head of a department or 
        agency of the Federal Government, shall ensure to the greatest 
        extent practicable that any information related to higher 
        education that is published by such department or agency is 
        consistent with the information published on the College 
        Dashboard website.
            ``(9) References to college navigator website.--Any 
        reference in this Act to the College Navigator website shall be 
        considered a reference to the College Dashboard website.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is 
further amended--
            (1) in section 131(h) (20 U.S.C. 1015(h)), by striking 
        ``College Navigator'' and inserting ``College Dashboard''; and
            (2) in section 132(a) (20 U.S.C. 1015a(a)), by striking 
        paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) College dashboard website.--The term `College 
        Dashboard website' means the College Dashboard website required 
        under subsection (d).''.
    (c) Development.--The Secretary of Education shall develop and 
publish the College Dashboard website required under section 132 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as amended by 
subsections (a) and (b) of this section, not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) College Navigator Website Maintenance.--The Secretary shall 
maintain the College Navigator website required under section 132 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a), as in effect the 
day before the date of the enactment of this Act, in the manner 
required under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as in effect on such 
day, until the College Dashboard website referred to in subsection (c) 
is complete and publicly available on the Internet.

SEC. 3. NET PRICE CALCULATORS.

    Subsection (c) of section 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1015a), as redesignated by section 2(a)(4) of this Act, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(4) Minimum requirements for net price calculators.--Not 
        later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the 
        Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, a net price 
        calculator for an institution of higher education shall meet 
        the following requirements:
                    ``(A) The link for the calculator shall--
                            ``(i) be clearly labeled as a net price 
                        calculator and prominently, clearly, and 
                        conspicuously posted in locations on the 
                        website of such institution where information 
                        on costs and aid is provided and any other 
                        location that the institution considers 
                        appropriate; and
                            ``(ii) match in size and font to the other 
                        prominent links on the webpage where the link 
                        for the calculator is displayed.
                    ``(B) The webpage displaying the results for the 
                calculator shall specify at least the following 
                information:
                            ``(i) The net price (as calculated under 
                        subsection (a)(2)) for such institution, which 
                        shall be the most visually prominent figure on 
                        the results screen.
                            ``(ii) Cost of attendance, including--
                                    ``(I) tuition and fees;
                                    ``(II) average annual cost of room 
                                and board for the institution for a 
                                full-time undergraduate student 
                                enrolled in the institution;
                                    ``(III) average annual cost of 
                                books and supplies for a full-time 
                                undergraduate student enrolled in the 
                                institution; and
                                    ``(IV) estimated cost of other 
                                expenses (including personal expenses 
                                and transportation) for a full-time 
                                undergraduate student enrolled in the 
                                institution.
                            ``(iii) Estimated total need-based grant 
                        aid and merit-based grant aid from Federal, 
                        State, and institutional sources that may be 
                        available to a full-time undergraduate student.
                            ``(iv) Percentage of the full-time 
                        undergraduate students enrolled in the 
                        institution that received any type of grant aid 
                        described in clause (iii).
                            ``(v) The disclaimer described in paragraph 
                        (6).
                            ``(vi) In the case of a calculator that--
                                    ``(I) includes questions to 
                                estimate the eligibility of a student 
                                or prospective student for veterans' 
                                education benefits (as defined in 
                                section 480) or educational benefits 
                                for active duty service members, such 
                                benefits are displayed on the results 
                                screen in a manner that clearly 
                                distinguishes such benefits from the 
                                grant aid described in clause (iii); or
                                    ``(II) does not include questions 
                                to estimate eligibility for the 
                                benefits described in subclause (I), 
                                the results screen indicates that 
                                certain students (or prospective 
                                students) may qualify for such benefits 
                                and includes a link to information 
                                about such benefits.
                    ``(C) The institution shall populate the calculator 
                with data from an academic year that is not more than 2 
                academic years prior to the most recent academic year.
            ``(5) Prohibition on use of data collected by the net price 
        calculator.--A net price calculator for an institution of 
        higher education shall--
                    ``(A) clearly indicate which questions are required 
                to be completed for an estimate of the net price from 
                the calculator;
                    ``(B) in the case of a calculator that requests 
                contact information from users, clearly mark such 
                requests as optional and provide for an estimate of the 
                net price from the calculator without requiring users 
                to enter such information; and
                    ``(C) prohibit any personally identifiable 
                information provided by users from being sold or made 
                available to third parties.''.

SEC. 4. FUNDING.

    (a) Use of Existing Funds.--Of the amount authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of Education to maintain the College 
Navigator website, $1,000,000 shall be available to carry out this Act 
and the amendments made by this Act.
    (b) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No funds are authorized by 
this Act to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments 
made by this Act.
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