HARRISBURG — State Rep. Bryan Cutler’s proposed legislation to create an online resource to help prospective college students and their parents select a school that best meets their educational and financial needs was passed unanimously by the House Education Committee, the Peach Bottom Republican announced in a press release.
The bill now advances to the full House for consideration.
Cutler’s legislation would require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to create a comparison tool on its website that would allow users to quickly and easily examine many factors important to parents and students, like net tuition and fees, graduation and retention rates, percentage of students receiving federal aid and average borrowing amounts.
“This is the information families need to make informed decisions that will impact them, not just for four years but many after that,” Cutler said in a statement. “Many students now are facing overwhelming student loan bills that prevent them from taking the next steps in life like buying a home, getting married and having children.”
Community colleges, universities within the State System of Higher Education, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and any other institution of higher learning that receives state funding would be required to participate.
The legislation would also include nonprofit colleges or universities incorporated in Pennsylvania.
