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2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 166
April 8, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives MELOTIK, MAXEY, BEHNKE, DITTRICH,
GREEN, GUNDRUM, KNODL, KREIBICH, MURPHY, SHEEHAN and WICHGERS,
cosponsored by Senator FEYEN. Referred to Committee on Education.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
AN ACT to create 39.535 and 115.28 (59) (am) of the statutes; relating to:
academic and career planning services provided to pupils and requiring the
reporting of certain data on college student costs and outcomes.
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 six months and, every fifth year, five 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
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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 6 to 12. Beginning in the 2027]28 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:
SECTION 1. 39.535 of the statutes is created to read:
39.535 Reporting data related to student costs and outcomes. (1)
DEFINITION. In this section, Xinstitution of higher educationY means any of the
following:
(a) An institution, as defined in s. 36.05 (9), including all branch campuses
associated with the institution.
(b) A technical college under ch. 38, including all campuses governed by the
same technical college district board.
(c) A private institution, as defined in s. 39.49 (1) (e).
(2) ANNUAL REPORTING BY INSTITUTIONS. (a) An institution of higher
education shall collect and, by July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter, report to the
board all of the following information relating to its undergraduate degree
programs:
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1. The average salary of the institution[s graduates 6 months after
graduation, stated both in the aggregate and segregated by major. In addition,
every 5th year, beginning no later than July 1, 2032, the annual report shall include
the average salary of the institution's graduates 5 years after graduation, stated
both in the aggregate and segregated by major. The institution, to the best of its
ability, shall further identify every 5th year, for each major, the percentage of
graduates in the major who are employed 5 years after graduation in the field of
their major, the average salary of these graduates employed in the field of their
major, and the average salary of the graduates not employed in the field of their
major.
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.
3. The institution[s graduation rate, stated both in the aggregate and
segregated by major.
4. The institution[s annual total cost of attendance and average net cost.
5. The financial aid available to the institution[s students.
6. The 10 most popular degree programs offered by the institution.
(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 XmajorY in par. (a) is not synonymous with the term
Xfield of study.Y
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(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.
(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.
(e) An institution of higher education shall submit reports under this
subsection in the form and format prescribed by the board.
(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. The board shall make this list publicly available on the board[s website.
(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.
SECTION 2. 115.28 (59) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
115.28 (59) (am) Beginning in the 2027-28 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
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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).
(END)
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