IB 
Union Calendar No. 396 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4983 
[Report No. 113–530] 
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 
JUNE 26, 2014 
Ms. FOXX (for herself, Mr. MESSER, and Mr. KLINE) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
JULY 17, 2014 
Additional sponsors: Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. 
MARCHANT, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. THOMPSON of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. HECK of Nevada, Mr. BUCSHON, Mrs. 
CAPITO, Mr. ROTHFUS, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SABLAN, and Mr. GEORGE MIL-
LER of California 
JULY 17, 2014 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 26, 2014] 
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A BILL 
To simplify and streamline the information regarding institu-
tions of higher education made publicly available by the 
Secretary of Education, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Trans-
parency in Higher Education Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COLLEGE DASHBOARD WEBSITE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 132 of the Higher Edu-
cation 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 pre-
ceding 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 
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(5) by striking subsection (d) (as so redesig-
nated) and inserting the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) CONSUMER INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF TITLE IV INSTITUTION IN-
FORMATION.—The Secretary shall develop and make 
publicly available a website to be known as the ‘Col-
lege Dashboard website’ in accordance with this sec-
tion 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 partici-
pates in a program under title IV: 
‘‘(A) A link to the website of the institution. 
‘‘(B) An identification of the type of insti-
tution as one of the following: 
‘‘(i) A four-year public institution of 
higher education. 
‘‘(ii) A four-year private, nonprofit in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(iii) A four-year private, for-profit 
institution of higher education. 
‘‘(iv) A two-year public institution of 
higher education. 
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‘‘(v) A two-year private, nonprofit in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(vi) A two-year private, for-profit in-
stitution of higher education. 
‘‘(vii) A less than two-year public in-
stitution 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 applica-
ble. 
‘‘(D) The student-faculty ratio. 
‘‘(E) The percentage of degree-seeking or 
certificate-seeking undergraduate students en-
rolled at the institution who obtain a degree or 
certificate within— 
‘‘(i) 100 percent of the normal time for 
completion of, or graduation from, the pro-
gram in which the student is enrolled; 
‘‘(ii) 150 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
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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 un-
dergraduate students and a link to the net price 
calculator for such institution. 
‘‘(G) The average Federal student loan debt 
incurred by an undergraduate student who has 
obtained a certificate or degree from the institu-
tion and who borrowed Federal student loans in 
the course of obtaining such certificate or degree. 
‘‘(H) A link to national and regional data 
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on starting 
salaries in all major occupations. 
‘‘(I) 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 re-
cent academic year for which satisfactory data is 
available the following information with respect to 
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each institution of higher education that participates 
in a program under title IV: 
‘‘(A) ENROLLMENT.— 
‘‘(i) The percentages of male and fe-
male 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) Of the undergraduate students 
enrolled at the institution— 
‘‘(I) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are from the State in which 
the institution is located; 
‘‘(II) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are from other States; and 
‘‘(III) the percentage of such stu-
dents who are international students. 
‘‘(iv) The percentages of students en-
rolled at the institution, disaggregated by— 
‘‘(I) race and ethnic background; 
‘‘(II) classification as a student 
with a disability; 
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‘‘(III) recipients of a Federal Pell 
Grant; 
‘‘(IV) recipients of veterans’ edu-
cation benefits (as defined in section 
480); and 
‘‘(V) recipients of a Federal stu-
dent loan. 
‘‘(B) COMPLETION.—The information re-
quired 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 Unsub-
sidized 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 Unsub-
sidized Stafford Loan); 
‘‘(iv) race and ethnic background; and 
‘‘(v) classification as a student with a 
disability. 
‘‘(C) COSTS.— 
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‘‘(i) The cost of attendance for full-time 
undergraduate students enrolled in the in-
stitution 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 in-
stitution less than full time. 
‘‘(v) In the case of a public institution 
of higher education 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 lo-
cated; and 
‘‘(II) full-time students enrolled in 
the institution who are not residents of 
such State. 
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‘‘(vi) The net price for students receiv-
ing Federal student financial aid under 
title IV, disaggregated by the following in-
come categories for such students: 
‘‘(I) $0 to $30,000. 
‘‘(II) $30,001 to $48,000. 
‘‘(III) $48,001 to $75,000. 
‘‘(IV) $75,001 to $110,000. 
‘‘(V) Over $110,000. 
‘‘(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 fi-
nancial 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 institu-
tion, provided publicly or through the insti-
tution, such as Federal work-study funds. 
‘‘(iii) The cohort default rate (as de-
fined in section 435(m)) for such institu-
tion. 
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‘‘(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 sec-
tions intended primarily for undergraduate 
students and course sections intended pri-
marily for graduate students. 
‘‘(ii) The mean and median years of 
employment for part-time instructors. 
‘‘(3) OTHER DATA MATTERS.— 
‘‘(A) COMPLETION
DATA.—The Commis-
sioner 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, in a 
manner that the Commissioner considers appro-
priate. 
‘‘(B) 
ADJUSTMENT
OF
INCOME
CAT-
EGORIES.—The Secretary may annually adjust 
the range of each of the income categories de-
scribed in paragraph (2)(C)(vi) to account for a 
change in the Consumer Price Index for All 
Urban Consumers as determined by the Bureau 
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of Labor Statistics if the Secretary determines 
an adjustment is necessary. 
‘‘(4) INSTITUTIONAL
COMPARISON.—The Sec-
retary shall include on the College Dashboard website 
a method for users to easily compare the information 
required under paragraphs (1) and (2) between insti-
tutions. 
‘‘(5) UPDATES.— 
‘‘(A) DATA.—The Secretary shall update the 
College Dashboard website not less than annu-
ally. 
‘‘(B) TECHNOLOGY AND FORMAT.—The Sec-
retary shall regularly assess the format and tech-
nology 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 de-
partments and agencies of the Federal Govern-
ment, shall conduct consumer testing with ap-
propriate persons, including current and pro-
spective college students, family members of such 
students, institutions of higher education, and 
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experts, to ensure that the College Dashboard 
website is usable and easily understandable and 
provides useful and relevant information to stu-
dents and families. 
‘‘(B) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES.— 
The Secretary shall submit to the authorizing 
committees any recommendations that the Sec-
retary considers appropriate for changing the in-
formation required to be provided on the College 
Dashboard website under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
based on the results of the consumer testing con-
ducted under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(7) PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE LINKS TO PRO-
SPECTIVE
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 infor-
mation required under paragraph (1) for each insti-
tution of higher education such student includes on 
such Application. 
‘‘(8) INTERAGENCY
COORDINATION.—The Sec-
retary, in consultation with each appropriate head of 
a department or agency of the Federal Government, 
shall ensure to the greatest extent practicable that any 
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