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Senate bill aims to provide useful information to prospective college students

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Parents and prospective college students might be interested in a bill moving in the state Senate.

The Students’ Right to Know Act was passed on Tuesday afternoon by the Senate Education Committee and now goes to a floor vote.

The bill has the state Department of Education compile and post information meant to be helpful for families facing choices about secondary education.

Examples include listing the most in-demand occupations in the state, the average monthly student loan payment, Information on loan default rates and median annual wages.

An early version of the bill was seen as potentially controversial because of the extent of what was to be compiled. There was some anticipation that the state’s four-year colleges would object to anything seen as steering families toward vocational and technical education degrees.

But a committee substitute for the original bill streamlined some of the information to be provided. And an amendment by Senator Sue Cline, R-Wyoming, broadened the bill a bit by saying any useful information should be included.

So there was little argument from the Senate Finance Committee, just questions of clarification. And no one spoke against the bill.

Patricia Rucker

Senate Education Chairwoman Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, said after the committee meeting that the bill is meant to provide useful information for those making choices about college education.

“It is the Legislature’s intent to make sure that all of the high school students in our state have certain information in order to make decisions for their future,” she said.

“That information includes what kind of income they might receive from certain career paths, what’s the average student loan, how many years does it take you to graduate typically. And all of this is median.”

The information would also include which institutions offer the programs being discussed, she said.

“So we’re just trying to facilitate the knowledge that they can make an educated choice,” Rucker said.

Rucker said the goal is to make the information “centralized and easy” and readily available for parents.

 





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