Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026

Colleges would get federal advice to drop criminal-record questions from applications — but would not have to follow it.

More about this bill

If you have an arrest, conviction, or juvenile record, the questions you face when applying to college could change at some schools. The Department of Education would write advice urging colleges to drop questions about those records from admission forms. Colleges would not have to follow it. The bill sets no deadline for the advice. The advice would ask each college to decide whether it truly needs this information to admit students. Colleges that keep asking would be urged to wait until after they decide to admit someone. They would also be urged to explain within 30 days if they turn down a student only because of a record. Questions should be narrow, and applicants should get a chance to explain their past. The Department would train college staff, using money it already has. That includes admissions, financial aid, housing, and career staff. Training would cover not using stand-in questions to learn about a record. Career staff would learn to help students who may face job or license barriers. The Department would also set up a resource center with best practices and research. The bill was introduced in the House in October 2026 and sent to the Education and Workforce Committee.