PRINTER'S NO. 1575
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1146
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY AUMENT, EICHELBERGER, RAFFERTY, SCARNATI,
GREENLEAF, SCHWANK, MENSCH, VULAKOVICH, YUDICHAK, WAGNER AND
BROWNE, MARCH 4, 2016
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 4, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," providing for higher education
accountability and transparency.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XX-H
HIGHER EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY
AND TRANSPARENCY
Section 2001-H. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Commonwealth.
"Institution of higher education." The term includes any of
the following:
(1) A community college operating under Article XIX-A.
(2) A university within the State System of Higher
Education.
(3) The Pennsylvania State University.
(4) The University of Pittsburgh.
(5) Temple University.
(6) Lincoln University.
(7) The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
(8) Any other institution designated as State-related by
the Commonwealth.
(9) An institution of higher education which is operated
not for profit, located in and incorporated or chartered by
the Commonwealth and entitled to confer degrees as set forth
in 24 Pa.C.S. ยง 6505 (relating to power to confer degrees)
and is designated as a "college" or "university" as provided
for by the standards and qualifications prescribed by the
State Board of Education pursuant to 24 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65
(relating to private colleges, universities and seminaries).
"PHEAA." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
Section 2002-H. Comparison tool.
(a) General rule.--The department shall make available on
the department's publicly accessible Internet website a search
tool that allows an individual to compare institutions of higher
education that meet certain criteria selected by the individual,
including offering a particular major or program of study.
(b) Requirements.--The comparison tool required under this
20160SB1146PN1575 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
section shall:
(1) Be accessible from the department's publicly
accessible Internet website.
(2) Allow a user to identify and compare institutions of
higher education by the following :
(i) Name of an institution of higher education.
(ii) Physical address of an institution of higher
education.
(iii) Total enrollment for the previous academic
year of an institution of higher education.
(iv) Average tuition and fees per year based on the
previous academic year for an institution of higher
education.
(v) Percentage of students receiving Federal aid at
an institution of higher education.
(vi) Average amount borrowed for undergraduate study
per year at an institution of higher education.
(vii) Graduation and transfer rates at an
institution of higher education, including information on
average time, in years, to attainment of a degree.
(viii) Percentage of graduates employed or enrolled
in graduate school at an institution of higher education.
(ix) Average first-year earnings of graduates by
degree level at an institution of higher education.
(x) Percentage of students who have defaulted on
their Federal student loans within three years of
graduation from an institution of higher education.
(3) Be accessible to the public without requiring
registration or use of a user name, password or other user
identification.
20160SB1146PN1575 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(4) I nclude a link to the publicly accessible Internet
website of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
and a link to the publicly accessible Internet website of
each of the institutions of higher education selected.
(c) Chart.--The comparison tool required under this section
shall generate a comparison chart in a grid format that:
(1) lists the institutions of higher education that
match a user's search criteria; and
(2) provides information for each institution of higher
education listed as outlined in subsection (b)(2).
(d) Duty of institutions.--
(1) An institution of higher education shall provide the
information outlined in this section to the department not
later than October 1 of each year.
(2) The department shall update the comparison tool as
soon as practicable after receiving information from each
institution of higher education.
(3) Failure to comply with this subsection shall result
in the withholding of any PHEAA funds received by the
institution of higher education in noncompliance for the
corresponding fiscal year.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20160SB1146PN1575 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22