Photos: (from left) Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Nelda Speaks)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Two local lawmakers are sponsoring a bill filed Thursday in the Arkansas legislature seeking to answer a question many parents and prospective college students ask almost on a daily basis: how much will it cost to go to college?
The bill, SB397, is sponsored by Sen. Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View) and Rep. Nelda Speaks (R-Mountain Home).
Among the co-sponsors are Sen. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville), whose district includes portions of and Newton counties, and Michelle Gray (R-Melbourne).
KAIT reports the lawmakers say in the bill they are attempting to provide information at a key time for parents and students alike.
“The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall create a Higher Education Consumer Guide that is designed for use by prospective students and parents and legal guardians of prospective students at a state-supported institution of higher education,” the bill notes.
The bill covers all state-supported two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the state.
Under the bill, the following questions would be among the questions to be answered in the guide:
• Retention and graduation rates
• Cost of tuition
• The average amount borrowed and loan default rate
• Percentage of students who applied for first-time undergraduate admission and were offered admission to each state-supported institution of higher
education
• Average test scores of students admitted to each state-supported institution of higher education.
• Job placement of students within the first three years of graduation
• Income of college alumni over the first 20 years after completion of their credential.
• Percentage of students admitted to each state-supported institution of higher education from the top 10% of a public high school class in the
state
• Average number of semesters for completion of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at the institution.
The guide would also be published on the board’s website and each college and university website.
The bill was assigned Thursday to the Senate Education Committee.
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