Senate Panel Advances College Transparency Act in Cassidy's Final Push

A U.S. Senate committee has advanced the College Transparency Act (CTA), a bill that would overturn the longstanding federal ban on a student-level data network. The committee voted 21 to 1 on August 5, 2026, to move the bill forward, giving new momentum to legislation Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has championed for nearly a decade.

The CTA would direct the U.S. Department of Education to connect existing federal datasets into a secure system that tracks enrollment, completion, and post-college outcomes across all institutions, not only those that receive federal aid. It would lift the current ban on collecting student-level data.

For Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IR/IE) professionals, the bill goes to the heart of the field's work. It would expand the outcomes data available on students who transfer, attend more than one institution, or enroll part time — populations that current federal data struggle to capture.

The bill's path remains uncertain. Cassidy has about five months left in his term after losing his primary in May 2026, and higher education observers rate standalone passage as unlikely before he leaves; if it moves, it would probably ride on larger legislation. The House passed a version in 2022, and more than 75 higher education and student groups back the bill.

Opponents, including Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and House education committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI), argue the system would risk student privacy and data security. Supporters counter that it would give students and institutions far better information on college costs and outcomes. AIR will continue to track the bill.