Credit for Prior Learning Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4897 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4897

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include in the calculation
    of cost of attendance an allowance for costs for prior learning
                              assessments.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2026

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Sheehy) introduced the following
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include in the calculation
    of cost of attendance an allowance for costs for prior learning
                              assessments.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Credit for Prior Learning Act''.

SEC. 2. COST OF ATTENDANCE TO INCLUDE AN ALLOWANCE FOR COSTS FOR PRIOR
              LEARNING ASSESSMENTS.

    Section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll),
as amended by section 702 of the FAFSA Simplification Act (title VII of
division FF of Public Law 116-260), is amended in subsection (a)--
            (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ``and'' after the
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period and inserting
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(15) an allowance of not more than $2,000 per award year
        (adjusted for inflation in years following the 2025-2026 award
        year) for reasonable costs, including test fees, associated
        with the assessment of prior learning as part of one or more
        eligible credit for prior learning assessments.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT.

    Section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Eligible Credit for Prior Learning Assessment.--For purposes
of this title, the term `eligible credit for prior learning assessment'
includes an evaluation of knowledge or skills learned outside of an
institution of higher education--
            ``(1) that assesses for evidence of learning, not for
        experience or time spent;
            ``(2) that has been determined by the institution to be
        based on generally accepted criteria by relevant subject matter
        experts; and
            ``(3) for which successful assessment will result in the
        institution awarding academic credit (without the student
        having to enroll in additional coursework to achieve such
        academic credit) to meet all or part of the program
        requirements toward completion.''.

SEC. 4. RECOGNITION OF ACCREDITING AGENCY OR ASSOCIATION.

    Section 496(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1099b(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' after the
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (9)(B), by striking the period and
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) confirms, as part of the agency's or association's
        review for accreditation or reaccreditation, that the
        institution has sufficient standards for assessment of prior
        learning--
                    ``(A) that assess for skills, competencies, and
                knowledge at levels generally accepted by subject
                matter experts; and
                    ``(B) that are publicly disclosed.''.

SEC. 5. TRANSPARENCY IN COLLEGE TUITION FOR CONSUMERS.

    Section 132(i)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1015a(i)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(AA) The number of students receiving credit for
                prior learning, disaggregated by race, income, and
                status as a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
                    ``(BB) The average number of credits awarded per
                student seeking credit for prior learning,
                disaggregated by race, income, and status as a Federal
                Pell Grant recipient.''.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    Unless otherwise specified, this Act, and the amendments made by
this Act, shall take effect on July 1, 2027.
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