Texas PACE — a coalition led by Every Texan and Young Invincibles — supports Senate Bill 1019 relating to disaggregated higher education data.
Texas student debt is in crisis, and state reporting on debt, degree type, and enrollment is needed to address the problem. Texans collectively hold more than 101 billion dollars in student debt, and 14 percent of Texas student loan holders are in default. Data reported by enrollment and degree type is especially necessary to guide Texas strategy toward debt reduction, as almost half of Texas borrowers who did not earn a degree or credential defaulted on their loans within 12 years. In one study, Texas students attending short term programs defaulted at more than twice the rate of those attending four-year schools, highlighting the role of degree type in debt outcomes. Reporting debt by degree type and enrollment statewide would help elected officials, organizations, institutions, and Texans understand these trends year to year, positioning them to create informed and specific solutions.
Read our full testimony here.