IHEP Applauds College Transparency Act of 2017
Published May 15, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C., — Today, U.S. Senators Hatch (R-UT), Warren (D-MA), Cassidy (R-LA) and Whitehouse (D-RI) announced the College Transparency Act of 2017, new legislation to establish a secure, privacy-protected postsecondary student data system. IHEP Vice President of Policy Research Mamie Voight released the following statement:
"The College Transparency Act announced today seeks to lift the veil on postsecondary student outcomes and will empower students, college leaders and policymakers with the information they need to make better-informed decisions. IHEP applauds Sens. Hatch, Warren, Cassidy and Whitehouse for presenting a bipartisan framework that will help paint a clear picture of the postsecondary landscape in our country.
As more students seek to better their life circumstances by pursuing a college education, many are faced with challenging questions about where to invest their time and resources. As college leaders strive to promote student success and improve program offerings, many lack critical information about student outcomes. And as policymakers seek to target public resources and responsibly steward taxpayer dollars, many are left wondering which investments will meet the needs of postsecondary students and which methods will drive institutional improvement.
Our nation's current postsecondary data infrastructure falls short of answering critical questions about college enrollment, completion, costs and outcomes, and many existing metrics fail to capture the diversity of students pursuing college today. These limitations hinder our ability to make accurate assessments about postsecondary outcomes, close degree attainment gaps between underserved students and their peers, and in turn, develop responsive policies that help all students reach their full potential.
The IHEP community stands ready to support policymakers throughout the country as they work to strengthen our nation's postsecondary data infrastructure and answer these critical questions."
IHEP leads the Postsecondary Data Collaborative, an initiative to advocate for the use of high-quality postsecondary data to promote student success and educational equity, evaluate and inform federal, state and institutional policies, and empower college choices.
