Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026

Colleges urged to drop criminal questions

If enacted, the Education Department would recommend that colleges remove criminal and juvenile justice questions from admissions applications. The Secretary would act through the Office of Policy, Planning, and Innovation and consult the Justice Department and community groups. The Department would use available funds to give training and technical help to admissions, financial aid, registrars, housing, student life, and career staff. Training would cover evaluating applicants, avoiding proxy questions, handling non-admissions inquiries, and supporting work-study and campus jobs for formerly incarcerated or juvenile-adjudicated students. If schools still ask about history in some contexts, guidance would require narrow or delayed questions, an opportunity to explain, strong privacy safeguards, and notice within 30 days if denial or rescission is based only on a record. The bill would also set up a resource center with best practices and research. It would not create new grant programs or require new appropriations.