WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) released the following statement regarding the Department of Education’s College Ratings System public notice:

“In order for students to get a high quality and affordable education, colleges need to be more transparent about costs and outcomes, and accountable when they aren’t. That's why we introduced the College Affordability and Innovation Act last January. As student debt loads climb ever higher, and college costs continue to skyrocket, students need to be able to make informed decisions about the best place for them to get a quality education. While neither final nor perfect, the proposed ratings system released today focuses on recognizing degree granting institutions that are making college more affordable, more accessible, and delivering a high quality education for all students. That should be celebrated, and we applaud the administration for taking this thoughtful step. In response, colleges should step up to the challenge and use new, innovative practices to reduce costs and deliver quality. This is another good step toward accountability and transparency, and we look forward to working with the administration and the higher education community to make this system even better for students of all backgrounds.”