Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026

Colleges would be urged — but not required — to stop asking applicants about arrest, conviction, and juvenile records.

More about this bill

If you have an arrest, conviction, or juvenile record, some colleges might stop asking about it when you apply. The Department of Education would write advice urging colleges to remove these questions from their admission forms. Colleges would not have to follow the advice. The bill sets no deadline for writing it. The advice would ask each college whether it really needs this information to decide who gets in. Colleges that still ask would be urged to wait until after they have made an admission decision. A college might reject someone or take back an offer only because of a record. It would then be urged to explain why within 30 days. Questions should be narrow, and applicants should get a chance to explain their past. The Department would also train college staff, using money it already has. This covers admissions, financial aid, housing, and career staff. Training would warn against other questions that dig for the same facts. Career staff would learn to help students who may face job or license barriers. The Department would also build a resource center with best practices and research.