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Washington - Yesterday, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) participated in a Fox Business townhall with parents to talk about the state of education in America. Foxx spoke about the Committee’s efforts to expand education freedom and reduce college costs. Excerpts from the interview are below: 
Putting parents in the driver seat: 

“I think starting at the school board is a good way [for parents to get involved]. 

“Get involved with your children’s education. Learn what is happening in the classroom.

“What we are pushing in Congress right now is education freedom. We’ve had that freedom in postsecondary education for a long time, but we haven’t had it in elementary and secondary education, so we are trying to do that at the federal level.”

Increasing transparency, accountability in the college shopping process: 

“We want transparency, and we want accountability. 

“Those are the two things we are pushing the most. We want colleges to tell parents and students exactly what it’s going to cost them and exactly what financial aid they are going to get. 

“Right now, it’s very confusing in terms of cost and in terms of what they are going to get in financial aid… we want transparency in everything in education.”

BACKGROUND

The Government Accountability Office, known as "the congressional watchdog," found that 91 percent of colleges and universities don’t provide an out-of-pocket estimate to students. And nearly half of institutions package loans in ways that mislead students about what they are obligated to pay. The College Cost Reduction Act ensures information about college costs is clear and accessible. Specifically, it:

• Ensures information about college costs is clear, accessible, and consumer-friendly through standardized financial aid offers and enhanced college-shopping tools that provide personalized prices to students for postsecondary degrees and credentials.
• Streamlines and enhances data collection and reporting on college outcomes, which will improve decision making and allow prospective students to assess their return on the cost of postsecondary education. 

More on H.R. 6951, the College Cost Reduction Act:

• Chairwoman Foxx Delivers Opening Remarks at Markup to Lower Cost of College
• ICYMI: @EdWorkforceCmte’s College Cost Reduction Act Offers Students Accountability, Transparency, Affordability
• Foxx Spearheads Legislation to Address Rising College Costs