CREATE Graduates Act

The CREATE Graduates Act creates a federal grant program to help states and institutions identify and award associate degrees to students who have completed sufficient credits but didn't receive the degree. It requires institutions to identify students with 45+ credits who lack an associate degree, provide outreach to those eligible for the degree or needing 12 or fewer credits to complete it, and waive nonacademic barriers like library fines. The bill prohibits charging students fees for participating in the program and mandates institutions to report on implementation, including demographic data on students who received degrees. States must use at least 80% of grant funds for subgrants to institutions and report annually on outcomes.