A new bill in the House of Representatives is proposing a set of measures that would ensure improvement in the quality of education provided by postsecondary institutions.
Last week, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson introduced the Quality Higher Education Act that sets new standards and benchmarks, fosters quality improvement, and ensures equity in the outcome.
Supported by the Center for American Progress, Third Way, New America, and Higher Learning Advocates, the bill would require the accreditors to oversee the completion and workforce participation of the schools to check how well the students fare by setting rigorous standards.
The accreditors will be given the freedom to choose the benchmarks by taking into account the school’s specific benchmarks, which may vary by credential level.
It further requires accreditors to compile data separately by the student subgroup to ensure that schools are well serving low-income students, including those belonging to racial/ethnic minorities.
I’m proud to introduce the Quality Higher Education Act (H.R. 4579) to help ensure that college students graduate with meaningful degrees and prepared for success in the workforce. @amprog @ThirdWayTweet @NewAmerica @HigherLearnADV @EdLaborCmte https://t.co/rM23SWVZbT pic.twitter.com/GvsCF7UDwV
— Rep Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) October 8, 2019
“When students make tough decisions about what college to attend, they trust that if a school is accredited, it will be able to provide them with the skills and knowledge needed for their chosen career path,” said Congresswoman Wilson.
“It’s crucial that all schools meet the same high-quality standards to retain accreditation, and that if they’re not adequality serving all student populations, it’s clear to them and prospective students what they must do to improve.”
Earlier this month, Rep. Donna Shalala introduced the Stop College Closures Act of 2019 that would require agencies that accredit post-secondary institutions would be required to take extra measures under a new bill that seeks to protect students from falling victim to abrupt closure of colleges.
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