WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act. The Beyond the Box Act would provide colleges and universities guidance on the removal of criminal and juvenile justice questions from their initial application for admissions.
Almost one out of three Americans have some kind of arrest or conviction record that would appear in a criminal background check. Individuals with criminal or juvenile justice involvement experience barriers to educational opportunities, decreased earnings, and increased poverty.
One significant barrier that these individuals face is that most colleges and universities ask criminal justice, juvenile justice, and/or school disciplinary questions in their admissions processes. People with felony convictions are forty percent less likely to complete college applications than people without, and the application rejection rates for individuals with felony convictions can be as high as 2.5 times the rate of those without.
“Every student deserves the chance to claim their education — and people who have made mistakes in the past and are looking for a fresh start are no exception,” Rep. Dean said. “As a former professor, I have seen firsthand how education can change lives, and we can ensure more Americans are afforded that chance. I am grateful for Senator Schatz’s continued partnership.”
The Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act directs the Department of Education to provide guidance on:
-
Whether criminal and juvenile justice questions are necessary in the initial application for admissions;
-
How to create a process to determine when criminal or juvenile justice information can be requested of students for non-admissions purposes; and
-
How colleges and universities that decide to keep criminal and juvenile justice questions can reduce their impact on the admissions process.
Read the text of the bill here.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
###
