Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6886
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-05T16:05:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025 aims to support students in earning recognized postsecondary credentials (such as associate degrees) by allowing the transfer of academic credits from multiple institutions. It facilitates "reverse transfer," where credits earned at a four-year college after starting at a community college can be applied back toward completing a credential at the original institution.
Key Provisions
- Amendment to FERPA: The bill modifies Section 444(b)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, which protects the privacy of student education records).
- New Exception for Record Release: Adds a new subparagraph (M) permitting educational institutions to release a student's postsecondary coursework and credit records to a previous postsecondary institution. This is specifically for applying those credits toward completing a recognized postsecondary credential, as defined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (a federal law supporting job training and workforce development).
- Consent Requirement: Release is allowed only if the student provides written consent before receiving the credential.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expansion of FERPA Exceptions: FERPA currently limits the release of student records without consent to specific situations (e.g., health/safety emergencies or audits). This bill introduces a new, targeted exception for reverse transfer, which was not previously allowed. It adjusts the punctuation in existing subparagraphs (K) and (L) to accommodate the addition without altering their content.
Potential Impacts
- On Students: Enables more students to earn credentials like associate degrees by combining credits from different schools, potentially improving job prospects and reducing educational debt without needing to restart programs.
- On Educational Institutions: Simplifies credit transfer processes between community colleges and universities, encouraging partnerships and increasing completion rates for credentials tied to workforce needs.
- On Government Agencies: Supports broader federal goals in education and workforce development (e.g., under the Department of Education and Department of Labor), potentially leading to higher credential attainment rates and better alignment with job market demands.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. education systems.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Students: Primary beneficiaries, especially those who transfer between institutions and risk losing credits.
- Postsecondary Institutions: Community colleges and universities, which can more easily collaborate on credential awards.
- Educators and Administrators: Faculty and staff involved in transcript evaluation and program completion.
- Workforce Development Organizations: Entities under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that promote job-related credentials.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Privacy Considerations: Reinforces FERPA's consent-based framework, maintaining student control over records while creating a narrow exception to promote educational equity; no broad erosion of privacy rights.
- Constitutional Aspects: Aligns with the Constitution's general support for education (via the Spending Clause), without raising free speech, due process, or equal protection concerns.
- Political Implications: Bipartisan sponsorship (introduced by Representatives Neguse and Kennedy) suggests broad appeal in promoting accessible higher education and workforce readiness; could influence future legislation on credit mobility and student success metrics.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-18 — PDF (2 pages)