Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act Exposed

The Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act is listed under ALEC's Education and Workforce Development Task Force, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on October 11, 2014. (Accessed 2/22/2016).

ALEC Bill Text

Summary

To aid students and their parents in their efforts to at pursuing a college degree, the Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act would require all public four-year universities to offer bachelor’s degrees costing no more than $10,000, total, for four years of tuition, fees, and books. The Act would require that ten percent of all public, four-year university degrees awarded reach this price-point within four years of passage of this act.

To achieve this price-point, universities would be instructed to capitalize on the opportunities and efficiencies provided by (1) web-based technology and (2) competency-based programs.

Model Policy

Section 1. Title.

This Act shall be known as “Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act.”

Section 2. Applicability.

(A) In this Act, “institutions of higher learning” is restricted to four-year, public colleges and universities, as defined in this section.

(B) This section applies to all four-year public institutions of higher education.

Section 3. Affordable Baccalaureate Degree.

(A) The {insert appropriate state education board} shall maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies all relevant information regarding which degrees at which schools satisfy this requirement, and will make this information publicly available online for use by prospective students of the institution and their parents, but also available to the public, legislators and other interested policy makers.

(B) The powers and duties of {insert appropriate state education board} apply to the Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act as outlined in {insert state higher education regulations if applicable}.

(C) The duties of institutions of higher education apply to the Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act as outlined in {insert state higher education regulations if applicable}.

(D) Information regarding the content and availability of degree programs satisfying the Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act will be made available to the public, legislators and other interested policy makers on the {insert appropriate state education board website and the institution’s website in accordance with procedures outlined in {insert state higher education regulations if applicable}.

Section 4. Severability clause.

Section 5. Repealer clause.

Section 6. Effective date.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on October 11, 2014.