Hayes, Kennedy Introduce Bill To Improve Community College Graduation Rate Transparency

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Congressman Mike Kennedy (UT-03 ) introduced the Time for Completion Act , bipartisan legislation to ensure community colleges more accurately report graduation rates and provide increased transparency for students when selecting an academic institution. Under current law, community colleges and other higher education institutions are only required to report graduation rates for first-time, full-time students. Non-traditional students are often omitted in reporting, leading to critical data gaps. According to the Community College Research Center , community colleges serve about 8.6 million students per year – or about 40% of all undergraduates. Current law excludes these students from reporting on graduation rates. The Time for Completion Act expands existing reporting requirements to ensure schools provide data on all student populations, including part-time and returning students, students with disabilities, and others who are earning a full-time degree or certificate at community colleges. By including all students, community college reporting will more accurately reflect student success and allow students to better evaluate institutions of higher education. “Selecting a college is one of the most consequential decisions a student can make. This decision should be guided by accurate and transparent information, said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. “Current data does not fully capture the range of student experiences and outcomes at community colleges, limiting the quality of information available to prospective students. The Time for Completion Act helps ensure students have a completer and more reliable picture of community college success so they can choose the institution that is right for them.” “Students deserve the full picture when making a decision as consequential as choosing a college,” said Congressman Mike Kennedy . “Right now, official graduation rates leave out a large portion of community college students. The Time for Completion Act will ensure schools provide data on all student populations. Counting everyone’s success is a common-sense fix that helps students make more informed decisions and find the institutions that are truly right for them. Full text of the Time for Completion Act is available here