SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1618        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 684

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Ryan C. Fattman

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to educating students about the cost of a college degree.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1618        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 684

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to educating students about the cost of a college degree.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 44 the following section:-

Section 45. (a) The following terms, as used in this section, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-

“Commissioner”, the commissioner of the department of higher education.

“State university system”, public institutions of higher education in the commonwealth.

(b) There shall be a student information program known as the “Student Know Before You Go Program” for the purpose of transparency and presenting data and metrics to current and prospective students of the public institutions of higher education within the state university system.  The program shall be administered by the commissioner in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the board of higher education. The program shall be subject to appropriation.

(c) Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment, the commissioner in conjunction with the board of higher of education shall promulgate regulations and guidelines necessary to implement an outcome data metrics program that would be made available to current and prospective students of any public institution of higher education within the state university system.

(d) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment, the following shall be calculated and made available by each public institution of higher education within the state university system:

(1) the percentage of students who receive federal grants, federal loans, state grants, state loans, institutional grants, or institutional loans;

(2) the average amount of federal loan debt assumed by students upon graduation while enrolled at the institution;

(3) the average amount of federal loan debt assumed by students who did not complete a program of study 2 years after the student’s last known enrollment in a public institution of higher education;

(4) student transfer rates by sector of transfer, which shall be defined as the percentage of students who leave an institution and successfully enroll in and complete a program of study at another institution, including whether the receiving institution is a public 4-year institution, public 2-year institution, public less-than-2-year institution, private nonprofit 4-year institution, private nonprofit 2-year institution, private nonprofit less-than-2-year institution, private for-profit 4-year institution, private for-profit 2-year institution, or private for-profit less-than-2-year institution;

(5) the rates of continuation to higher levels of education;

(6) the percentage of students who receive the degree level they initially sought;

(7) students who received a Federal Pell Grant;

(8) students who are identified as veterans or members of the Armed Forces who received assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, or tuition assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of the Department of Defense shall coordinate with the Secretary to make available data sufficient to enable such reporting under this clause; and

(9) the enrollment status of first-time, full-time students, first-time, part-time students, and non-first-time, full-time students.