# Plain Language Summary: Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2021

This bill makes it easier for students who started at one college and moved to another to get credit for the work they already completed. Right now, there are strict privacy rules about sharing student records between schools. This bill creates a new exception to those rules specifically for "reverse transfer"—which is when a student earns credits at a four-year university but then transfers to a community college or other school and wants those credits to count toward a degree or certificate there.

Here's how it works in practice: Imagine you spent two years at a university, completed several courses, but then decided to transfer to a community college to finish a specific certificate program. Under current rules, the community college can't automatically get your transcript from the university without jumping through extra hoops. This bill says the university can now share your academic records with the community college you're transferring to, but only if you give written permission first and only for the purpose of applying your previous coursework toward a recognized credential like a degree or professional certificate.

The practical benefit is that students won't lose credits they've already earned when they change schools. Instead of starting over or having to manually request transcripts and fight to get credits recognized, the process becomes smoother and more automatic. This particularly helps students who are pursuing career certificates or associate degrees after starting at a four-year institution, potentially saving them time and money by letting them graduate faster with credentials they've already partially earned.

Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2021

Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2021 This 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. &nbsp; Specifically, the bill allows the Department of Education 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.