S-3589-119
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 543.
Sponsored by Jim Banks (R-IN)
What it does
The RISE Act would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require colleges that receive federal funding to accept a broader set of documents — including high school IEPs, Section 504 plans, and evaluations from licensed professionals — as sufficient proof of a student's disability when requesting accommodations. It would also require colleges to publicly post clear, accessible information about their accommodation eligibility processes and to report aggregate data on students registered with disability services offices to the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The bill would authorize $10 million over fiscal years 2027–2031 for the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities.
Who benefits
College students with disabilities, who would face fewer documentation barriers when seeking accommodations. Students transitioning from high school special education programs (IEP or 504 plan holders) who currently may be required to obtain new, costly evaluations. Veterans with service-connected disabilities, who would have their records explicitly recognized. Families of students with disabilities, who would gain access to clearer, publicly available information to compare colleges. Disability services offices, which would receive clearer federal guidance. Researchers and policymakers, who would gain access to standardized national data on disability enrollment and degree completion. Colleges with already-flexible documentation policies, which would face no new compliance burden.
Who is hurt
Colleges and universities that currently require more rigorous or institution-specific documentation, which would need to revise policies and potentially absorb administrative costs. Taxpayers, who would fund the $10 million authorization for the National Center. Providers of disability evaluations (psychologists, diagnosticians) who may see reduced demand if high school documentation becomes sufficient at the college level. Institutions with small disability services populations, which may face reporting complexity while a privacy carve-out limits what they must disclose.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that students with disabilities face a well-documented "documentation cliff" when transitioning from high school to college — where accommodations they relied on for years are suddenly unavailable because colleges demand new, expensive evaluations that can cost $1,000–$3,000 out of pocket. They contend that standardizing accepted documentation removes a financial barrier that disproportionately affects lower-income students with disabilities, and that requiring colleges to publish accommodation processes publicly empowers families to make informed enrollment decisions. The IPEDS data requirement, they argue, creates accountability by making disability enrollment and graduation rates visible for the first time at a national scale.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that disability needs can change significantly between high school and college, and that requiring colleges to accept years-old IEPs or 504 plans as sufficient documentation may result in accommodations that no longer match a student's current condition — potentially misallocating limited disability services resources. They contend that the bill imposes new federal mandates on institutions through the Spending Clause without providing commensurate funding for compliance, and that the one-size-fits-all documentation standard may undermine the individualized, interactive process that the ADA and Section 504 currently require institutions to conduct.