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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