Third Way Statement on the Reintroduction of the College Transparency Act

WASHINGTON—Third Way issued the following statement from Michelle Dimino, Director of Education:

“Third Way celebrates today’s bipartisan, bicameral reintroduction of the College Transparency Act (CTA) in the 119th Congress. We applaud Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Mike Kelly (R-PA), and their colleagues for working to advance this critical legislation in the best interest of students.

“Higher education is one of the most significant financial decisions students will make in their lifetimes, but students and their families have limited resources with which to navigate it. CTA will unlock comprehensive student outcomes data and empower students to better understand and compare the return on investment they may receive from attending a given program or institution. Importantly, it will accomplish these aims while safeguarding the privacy of student information through robust data governance protocols.

“CTA will equip colleges and universities with key insights to enhance their program offerings and student outcomes and ensure students and taxpayers receive a meaningful return on their investment. This focus on outcomes and improvement will complement the earnings test passed in the reconciliation law to hold colleges more accountable for leaving students better off than when they started. 

“CTA has earned sustained public support from higher education institutions, civil rights groups, veterans’ organizations, student advocates, and the workforce and economic development community. It was the single most bipartisan bill by co-sponsor count in a prior Congress, and passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis in an amendment to the America COMPETES Act of 2022. 

“We commend Senators Cassidy and Warren and Representatives Krishnamoorthi and Kelly for working together to champion this key piece of legislation. This bill is a commonsense opportunity for improving student outcomes in higher education."