U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) introduced legislation this week that aims to improve college completion rates by reducing the number of community college students who lose academic credit when transferring to four-year institutions.
The Transparency for Transfer Students Act would amend the Higher Education Act to clarify requirements for disclosure of transfer credit policies, including what information colleges and universities are required to publish on their websites and relevant publications regarding transfer agreements. More specifically, the measure would require institutions to disclose articulation agreements on their websites, as well as a list of all the schools from which a student's credits are guaranteed to be accepted. It would also require institutions to post transfer student deadlines, financial aid information, and relevant staff contact information.
Nationally, nearly 40 percent of all U.S. undergraduates attend a community college. However, only 30 percent of those students successfully transfer to a four-year institution, and on average, those students lose 40 percent of their credits, forcing them to spend more time and money to repeat courses, according to a press release.
"Community college is an affordable, accessible way for many students to start their education – but at too many schools, complicated transfer policies make it harder for transfer students to earn a four-year degree," said Congressman Castro. "The Transparency for Transfer Students Act will provide students with better information on college articulation agreements, preventing credit loss and helping students save valuable time and money as they pursue their degrees."
Related Link
U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro's Press Release
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-castro-introduces-bill-to-improve-credit-transfer-process-for-community-college-students