SB176 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

To create the Students' Right to Know Act of 2023; to require the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to collect data and create an interactive online tool for students for use in making informed decisions relating to education and professions; and to require the commission and Workforce Development Division of the Department of Commerce to share data and information as necessary to comply with this act.

Summary

SB176 creates the Students' Right to Know Act to provide data and an online tool that helps students compare education programs and careers, with data sharing between state agencies.

What This Bill Does

It requires the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to annually collect and publish data on in-demand jobs, costs, debt, graduation rates, and related outcomes. It creates an interactive online tool called the Student Horizon Database that lets students compare programs, costs (with and without aid), salaries, graduation and completion rates, loan data, and other factors, with options to filter by major and institution. It directs the Commission and the Workforce Development Division to share necessary data through a memorandum of understanding and to use preexisting data sources or compel colleges to provide data; it also requires an annual Student Graduate Horizon Scorecard for high school students and an annual legislative report on how postsecondary programs align with the job market, with the act becoming effective January 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• High school students and other students planning to pursue education or a career, who will use the online tools to compare programs, costs, salaries, and outcomes.
• Colleges and universities in Alabama, and the state’s Workforce Development Division and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, which must collect, share, and provide data and implement the tools through a memorandum of understanding.
• The Alabama Legislature and state policymakers, which will receive annual reports evaluating how well public postsecondary institutions’ programs align with the state job market.

Key Provisions

• Annual collection and publication by the Commission of data on in-demand jobs, starting salaries, education requirements, average college costs, loan payments, default rates, total debt, graduation rates, and completion rates for apprenticeships, high school credentials, and CTE programs.
• Creation of the Student Horizon Database, an interactive online tool that allows comparison of costs (with/without financial aid), graduation rates, salaries after attendance or completion, major-specific salaries, enrollment, loan data, retention and enrollment metrics, and the ability to search by major and institution.
• Publication of the Student Graduate Horizon Scorecard each October (beginning October 31, 2024) with data on high-paying degrees, in-demand jobs, military enlistment pay and ASVAB scores, and related factors.
• A memorandum of understanding to share data between the Commission and the Workforce Development Division, with authority to use preexisting data sets or compel colleges to provide data, and the adoption of necessary rules.
• An annual legislative report on the effectiveness of aligning postsecondary education with the state job market and other program outcomes, plus the act’s effective date of January 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.