IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 26 
Strongly supporting the quality and value of diversity and innovation in 
the Nation’s higher education institutions, and strongly disagreeing with 
the President’s proposal to create and administer a Postsecondary Insti-
tution Ratings System. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 12, 2015 
Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself and Mr. CAPUANO) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Work-
force 
RESOLUTION 
Strongly supporting the quality and value of diversity and 
innovation in the Nation’s higher education institutions, 
and strongly disagreeing with the President’s proposal 
to create and administer a Postsecondary Institution 
Ratings System. 
Whereas the Nation’s diverse higher education system, which 
includes community colleges, public and private four-year 
colleges, faith-based colleges, research universities, career 
training schools, work colleges, land grant universities, 
historically Black colleges, women’s colleges, Hispanic 
serving institutions, institutes for the arts, and many 
other specialized institutions, offers opportunity and in-
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•HRES 26 IH 
novation in postsecondary education and for life-long 
learning that is unmatched anywhere in the world; 
Whereas this diversity of institutions reflects the plurality 
and history of our people, and the diversity of the Na-
tion’s ideas and ideals; 
Whereas many of these institutions are the intellectual homes 
to our great traditions of faith, social service, research, 
arts and humanities, all flourishing in the Nation’s free 
marketplace of ideas; 
Whereas public, private non-profit, and for-profit institutions 
all compete in the marketplace for students causing post-
secondary institutions to constantly innovate and adapt 
in order to meet the evolving needs of the Nation’s stu-
dents; 
Whereas the Department of Education already collects large 
amounts of data and metrics each year from postsec-
ondary institutions with much of this information made 
publicly available to prospective students, but not in a 
useful way; 
Whereas most States are better equipped to distribute mean-
ingful information regarding the postsecondary institu-
tions within their borders; 
Whereas the Federal Government has focused its investment 
in higher education in providing grants, loans and work- 
study funds to help low- and middle-income students, 
who are academically qualified for college and who are 
willing to work hard, attend college, but has left the 
choice of institution, and the responsibility of effort for 
success, up to students and their families; 
Whereas institutions that educate students who receive these 
funds are and shall continue to be accountable for the ap-
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propriate use of those funds, and must already go 
through private accreditation, State authorization, as well 
as Federal eligibility certification processes to be able to 
participate in the Federal student aid programs; 
Whereas the amount of Federal aid a student receives is de-
termined by Congress through need analysis formulas in 
the Higher Education Act and through the annual appro-
priations process, and may only be adjusted on a case- 
by-case basis by a campus Financial Aid Officer, and 
may not be adjusted by the Administration; 
Whereas the development of a Postsecondary Institution Rat-
ings System has been proposed by the current Adminis-
tration to rate and compare the value of colleges, and to 
base the amount of need a low-income student receives 
not exclusively on need, but, also, on the Administration’s 
rating of the college that student chooses to attend; 
Whereas the Administration has suggested this rating system 
will put a particular emphasis on graduates’ earnings, 
suggesting that institutions that produce graduates who 
go into public service, the military, ministry, non-profit 
work, or who stay at home to care for family are some-
how less worthy of support than institutions that produce 
graduates who go into more lucrative fields; 
Whereas the Administration has said the rating system will 
also give consideration to graduation rates of traditional 
students, thereby disadvantaging institutions that have a 
mission to serve students who are first generation to col-
lege, persons with learning disabilities, veterans and other 
adults who are resuming education while also working 
and caring for families; 
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