AB891: Bill Text

LRB-2603/1

FFK&ARG:wlj

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 891

January 3, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives Michalski, Binsfeld, Behnke, Murphy, Mursau, O'Connor and S. Johnson, cosponsored by Senator Feyen. Referred to Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities.

AB891,1,4 An Act to create 39.535 and 115.28 (59) (am) of the statutes; relating to: academic and career planning services provided to pupils, requiring the reporting of certain data on college student costs and outcomes, and granting rule-making authority.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires University of Wisconsin System institutions, technical colleges, and private nonprofit colleges in this state (higher education institutions) to report cost and student outcome data that are ultimately made available as part of the academic and career planning services provided to high school juniors and seniors.

The bill requires higher education institutions to collect and annually report to the Higher Educational Aids Board all of the following information relating to their undergraduate degree programs: 1) the average salary of the institution's graduates at intervals of one year, five years, and ten years after graduation, in the aggregate and broken down by major; 2) the average debt of the institution's students upon graduation or discontinuation of studies, in the aggregate and broken down by major; 3) the institution's graduation rate, in the aggregate and broken down by major; 4) the institution's annual total cost of attendance and average net cost; 5) the financial aid available to students; and 6) the 10 most popular degree programs offered by the institution. HEAB must incorporate the data from these reports into an electronic document formatted in a manner that facilitates comparison of information among higher education institutions. HEAB must annually provide this electronic document to the Department of Public Instruction with a list, prepared in cooperation with the Department of Workforce Development, of the 50 most in-demand jobs in this state, including the average starting salary and required education level for each job.

Under current law, the state superintendent of public instruction must ensure that each school board provides academic and career planning services to pupils enrolled in grades six to twelve. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, the bill requires the superintendent to provide the electronic document described above to school boards and requires school boards to provide the electronic document to high school juniors and seniors as part of the academic and career planning services provided to the pupils.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB891,1 Section 1. 39.535 of the statutes is created to read:

AB891,2,4 39.535 Reporting data related to student costs and outcomes. (1) Definition. In this section, “institution of higher education" means any of the following:

AB891,2,6 (a) An institution, as defined in s. 36.05 (9), including all branch campuses associated with the institution.

AB891,2,8 (b) A technical college under ch. 38, including all campuses governed by the same technical college district board.

AB891,2,9 (c) A private institution, as defined in s. 39.49 (1) (e).

AB891,2,12 (2) Annual reporting by institutions. (a) An institution of higher education shall collect and, by July 1, 2025, and each July 1 thereafter, report to the board all of the following information relating to its undergraduate degree programs:

AB891,2,15 1. The average salary of the institution's graduates at intervals of 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years after graduation, stated both in the aggregate and segregated by major.

AB891,3,3 2. The average debt of the institution's students upon the student's graduation or discontinuation of studies at the institution for reasons other than transfer, stated both in the aggregate and segregated by major.

AB891,3,5 3. The institution's graduation rate, stated both in the aggregate and segregated by major.

AB891,3,6 4. The institution's annual total cost of attendance and average net cost.

AB891,3,7 5. The financial aid available to the institution's students.

AB891,3,8 6. The 10 most popular degree programs offered by the institution.

AB891,3,13 (b) To the extent possible, an institution of higher education shall report information under par. (a) using the same methodology that applies to the same or similar information provided by the institution under 20 USC 1091 (a) and 34 CFR 668.41 to 668.45, but the term “major” in par. (a) is not synonymous with the term “field of study.”

AB891,3,17 (c) To the extent information under par. (a) is not required to be provided by an institution of higher education under 20 USC 1091 (a) and 34 CFR 668.41 to 668.45, the institution shall use reasonable methods to collect the information, including gathering the information from alumni surveys or other relevant sources.

AB891,3,20 (d) If an institution of higher education does not have information available for all periods specified in par. (a) 1., the institution shall report the information required under par. (a) 1. for the periods for which information is available.

AB891,3,22 (e) An institution of higher education shall submit reports under this subsection in the form and format prescribed by the board.

AB891,3,25 (3) Board duties. (a) In cooperation with the department of workforce development, the board shall prepare a list of the 50 most in-demand jobs in this state, including the average starting salary and required education level for each job.

AB891,4,5 (b) From the reports received by the board under sub. (2), the board shall incorporate the data into an electronic document formatted in a manner that facilitates comparison of information among institutions of higher education. The board shall annually provide this electronic document, with the list under par. (a), to the department of public instruction.

AB891,4,8 (4) Rulemaking. The board may promulgate rules to create consistent standards and methodology for the reporting of information under sub. (2) to ensure that institutions of higher education are reporting comparable data.

AB891,2 Section 2. 115.28 (59) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

AB891,4,14 115.28 (59) (am) Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, annually provide the electronic document received from the higher educational aids board under s. 39.535 (3) (b) to school boards and ensure that every school board provides the electronic document to pupils in grades 11 and 12 in the school district as part of the academic and career planning services required under par. (a).

AB891,4,15 (End)