I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1287 
To amend the eligibility requirements for funding under title IV of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2015 
Mr. DESANTIS (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. CLAWSON of Florida, 
Mr. COFFMAN, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. FRANKS of Ari-
zona, Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. HUELSKAMP, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
MASSIE, Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. PALMER, Mr. PERRY, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. 
OLSON, Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. ROONEY of Florida, Mr. SALMON, Mr. WALK-
ER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. YOHO, Mr. ZINKE, Mr. GOSAR, 
and Mrs. LOVE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the eligibility requirements for funding under title 
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
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 ‘‘Higher Education Re-
form and Opportunity Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. 
(a) DEFINITION OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDU-
CATION.—Section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as 
paragraphs (6) and (7), respectively; 
(2) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Subject to para-
graphs (2) through (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to 
paragraphs (2) through (5)’’; 
(3) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) 
and (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respec-
tively; and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following: 
‘‘(B) if accredited by an authorized accred-
itation authority in a State that has an alter-
native accreditation agreement with the Sec-
retary, as described in paragraph (5)— 
‘‘(i) an institution that provides post-
secondary education; 
‘‘(ii) a postsecondary apprenticeship 
program; or 
‘‘(iii) 
a 
postsecondary 
education 
course or program provided by an institu-
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tion of postsecondary education, a non-
profit organization, or a for-profit organi-
zation or business;’’; and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (4), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(5) STATE ALTERNATIVE ACCREDITATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, a State may establish an 
alternative accreditation system for the purpose 
of establishing institutions that provide postsec-
ondary education and postsecondary education 
courses or programs as eligible for funding 
under title IV if the State enters into an agree-
ment with the Secretary for the establishment 
of the alternative accreditation system. Such in-
stitutions, courses, or programs may include— 
‘‘(i) institutions that provide postsec-
ondary education; 
‘‘(ii) 
postsecondary 
apprenticeship 
programs; 
‘‘(iii) any other postsecondary edu-
cation course or program offered at an in-
stitution of postsecondary education, a 
nonprofit organization, or a for-profit orga-
nization or business; and 
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‘‘(iv) any of the entities described in 
clauses (i) through (iii) that do not award 
a postsecondary certification, credential, or 
degree, provided that such entity provides 
credit that will apply toward a postsec-
ondary certification, credential, or degree. 
‘‘(B) 
ALTERNATIVE
ACCREDITATION 
AGREEMENT.—The 
alternative 
accreditation 
agreement described in subparagraph (A) shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(i) The designation of one or more 
authorized accrediting entities within the 
State, such as the State Department of 
Education, another State agency, an indus-
try-specific accrediting agency, or another 
entity, and an explanation of the process 
through which the State will select such 
authorized accrediting entities. 
‘‘(ii) The standards or criteria that an 
institution that provides postsecondary 
education and a postsecondary education 
course or program must meet in order to— 
‘‘(I) receive an initial accredita-
tion as part of the alternative accredi-
tation system; and 
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‘‘(II) maintain such accredita-
tion. 
‘‘(iii) A description of the appeals 
process through which an institution that 
provides postsecondary education and a 
postsecondary education course or program 
may appeal to an authorized accrediting 
entity if such institution, course, or pro-
gram is denied accreditation under the 
State alternative accreditation system. 
‘‘(iv) Each authorized accrediting en-
tity’s policy regarding the transfer of cred-
its between institutions that provide post-
secondary education and postsecondary 
education courses or programs within the 
State that are accredited as part of the al-
ternative accreditation system. 
‘‘(v) The Secretary’s reporting re-
quirements for the State regarding the 
State alternative accreditation system, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(I) the contents of reports that 
must be submitted to the Secretary, 
which may include information such 
as— 
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‘‘(aa) in the case of a post-
secondary education course or 
program 
that 
is 
accredited 
through the State alternative ac-
creditation system— 
‘‘(AA) the number and 
percentage of students who 
successfully complete each 
such 
postsecondary 
edu-
cation course or program; 
and 
‘‘(BB) the number and 
percentage of students who 
successfully obtain a post-
secondary certification, cre-
dential, 
or 
degree 
using 
credit obtained from each 
such 
postsecondary 
edu-
cation course or program; 
and 
‘‘(bb) in the case of an insti-
tution 
that 
provides 
postsec-
ondary education that is accred-
ited through the State alternative 
accreditation system— 
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‘‘(AA) the number and 
percentage of students who 
successfully obtain a post-
secondary certification, cre-
dential, or degree from such 
institution; and 
‘‘(BB) the number and 
percentage of students who 
do not successfully obtain a 
postsecondary 
certification, 
credential, or degree from 
such institution but do ob-
tain credit from such insti-
tution toward a postsec-
ondary degree, credential, or 
certification; 
‘‘(II) the frequency with which 
such reports must be submitted to the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(III) any requirements for third 
party verification of information con-
tained in such reports. 
‘‘(vi) The State policy regarding pub-
lic accessibility to certain information re-
lating to institutions that provide postsec-
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ondary education and postsecondary edu-
cation courses and programs accredited 
under the State alternative accreditation 
system, including— 
‘‘(I) the information described in 
subclause (I) of clause (v); and 
‘‘(II) information about the rates 
of job placement for individuals that 
have graduated from an institution or 
completed a course or program that is 
accredited under the State alternative 
accreditation system. 
‘‘(vii) An assurance by the State that 
under the State alternative accreditation 
system, only institutions that provide post-
secondary education and postsecondary 
education courses or programs that provide 
credits toward a postsecondary certifi-
cation, credential, or degree (as defined by 
the State in accordance with clause (viii)) 
will be accredited. 
‘‘(viii) The State’s definition of a 
postsecondary certification, credential, or 
degree, as such term applies to the require-
ment described in clause (vii). 
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‘‘(ix) A description of the agreements 
that the State will enter into with institu-
tions that provide postsecondary education 
and postsecondary education courses or 
programs that are accredited under the al-
ternative accreditation system to enable 
such institutions, courses, or programs to 
be eligible under a program authorized 
under title IV, for participation in the di-
rect student loan program, and for the 
origination of loans under part D of title 
IV, and how such agreements will operate 
in lieu of the agreements described in sec-
tions 487 and 454. 
‘‘(x) A description of how the State 
will select institutions that provide postsec-
ondary education and postsecondary edu-
cation courses or programs that are ac-
credited under the alternative accreditation 
system, in lieu of the selection process de-
scribed in section 453, for— 
‘‘(I) participation in the direct 
student loan program under part D of 
title IV; and 
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‘‘(II) approval allowing such in-
stitution, program, or course to origi-
nate direct loans under part D of title 
IV. 
‘‘(xi) A description of how the State 
will administer title IV funds for institu-
tions that provide postsecondary education, 
postsecondary 
apprenticeship 
programs, 
and postsecondary education courses or 
programs provided by an institution of 
postsecondary education, a nonprofit orga-
nization, or a for-profit organization or 
business that are accredited through the 
alternative accreditation system. 
‘‘(C) ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS
FOR
PELL 
GRANT STUDENTS.— 
‘‘(i) PELL GRANTS ADMINISTERED BY 
ENTITIES.—In the case of an institution 
that provides postsecondary education, a 
postsecondary apprenticeship program, or 
an entity that provides a postsecondary 
education course or program that is ac-
credited through the alternative accredita-
tion system and that will administer the 
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, 
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Federal Work-Study, and Federal Supple-
mental Educational Opportunity Grants in 
accordance with the agreement described 
in subparagraph (B)(xi), the Secretary 
shall, in lieu of carrying out section 690.10 
of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, 
and subject to available appropriations, 
pay $5.00 to the institution, apprenticeship 
program, or entity, as the case may be, for 
each student who receives a Federal Pell 
Grant at that institution, apprenticeship 
program, or entity for an award year. 
‘‘(ii) PELL GRANTS ADMINISTERED BY 
STATES.—In the case of an institution that 
provides postsecondary education, a post-
secondary apprenticeship program, or an 
entity that provides a postsecondary edu-
cation course or program that is accredited 
through the alternative accreditation sys-
tem and will not administer the Federal 
Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal 
Work-Study, and Federal Supplemental 
Educational Opportunity Grants, but will 
have such programs administered by the 
State in accordance with the agreement de-
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