S. 3359

Correctly Recognizing Educational Achievements To Empower Graduates Act or the CREATE Graduates Act

This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to take specified actions to increase postsecondary degree attainment.

Specifically, the bill requires ED to provide grants to states to support institutions of higher education in awarding associate degrees to students who have accumulated enough credits.

Additionally, the bill allows the release of a transfer student's educational records from an institution of postsecondary education where a student earned credit for coursework to an institution of postsecondary education where the student was previously enrolled in order to apply the student's coursework and credits toward completion of a recognized postsecondary credential, such as an associate's degree. In particular, the bill allows ED to provide funding to an institution of postsecondary education that releases a student's records of postsecondary coursework and credits without the consent of the student or the student's parents if the student provides written consent prior to receiving the credential.