H.R. 10661 — Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026

This section states findings on the scale of criminal justice involvement in the United States, including 70,000,000 Americans with arrest or conviction records, more than 600,000 annual prison releases, 11,000,000 jail admissions, and 2,100,000 youth arrests. It highlights non-confidential juvenile records in many states, collateral consequences that hinder reentry and disproportionately affect people of color and low-income individuals, reduced earnings and employment after incarceration, and the role of expanded educational opportunities in lowering recidivism.

This section directs the Secretary of Education to issue guidance and recommendations for institutions of higher education on removing criminal and juvenile justice questions from admissions applications. It requires the Secretary to provide training and technical assistance on related policies, including when to retain such questions, narrow inquiry practices, applicant explanations of history, and staff training on data use and privacy.