Senate panel moves forward on bill to end student data ban

During a markup session, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will review the College Transparency Act, a measure that would repeal a long-standing ban on federal collection of individual student data. The act proposes a secure Student-Level Data Network overseen by one outlet Center for Education Statistics, where institutions would upload information on majors, degrees, tuition and aid, later matched with data from the IRS, Social Security Administration and the Department of Defense to produce earnings and employment metrics.

Supporters, including Senators Bill Cassidy and Elizabeth Warren, say the data will help families assess return on investment and reduce student-debt risk, while opponents like Leonie Haimson of the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy contend the lack of an opt-out infringes on privacy and creates a target for hackers. The bill also bans data sales and limits law-enforcement access, yet critics fear future “function creep” could repurpose the database for immigration or political surveillance.

Bipartisan backing comes from the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Institute for Higher Education Policy, among others. Passage remains uncertain given a tight Senate calendar, an upcoming recess and competing House priorities.