Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026
Latest action (1 Oct 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 10661, the "Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026," aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. If enacted, it would direct the Secretary of Education to provide guidance and recommendations to colleges and universities. This guidance would focus on how institutions can remove questions about criminal and juvenile justice history from their admissions application processes.
The bill highlights that a significant number of Americans have arrest or conviction records. It suggests that removing such questions from admissions applications could improve reentry outcomes for individuals with criminal or juvenile justice histories by increasing their educational opportunities. The bill also notes that people of color and low-income individuals are disproportionately affected by the consequences of criminal justice involvement.
This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on October 1, 2026, by Representative Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and has been referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce. As it has just been introduced, it is in the early stages of the legislative process and would need to be considered by the committee and potentially pass both the House and the Senate before being sent to the President.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on October 1, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 10661 do?
- H.R. 10661, the "Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026," aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. If enacted, it would direct the Secretary of Education to provide guidance and recommendations to colleges and universities. This guidance would focus on how institutions can remove questions about criminal and juvenile justice history from their admissions application processes. The bill highlights that a significant number of Americans have arrest or conviction records. It suggests that removing such questions from admissions applications could improve reentry outcomes for individuals with criminal or juvenile justice histories by increasing their educational opportunities. The bill also notes that people of color and low-income individuals are disproportionately affected by the consequences of criminal justice involvement. This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on October 1, 2026, by Representative Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and has been referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce. As it has just been introduced, it is in the early stages of the legislative process and would need to be considered by the committee and potentially pass both the House and the Senate before being sent to the President.
- Has H.R. 10661 become law?
- Not yet. As of 1 Oct 2026, H.R. 10661 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 10661?
- H.R. 10661 was sponsored by Rep. Madeleine Dean [D-PA4] (Democrat-PA), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 10661?
- Introduced (1 Oct 2026).
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