Although transcript and diploma withholding—the practice by schools of withholding transcripts or diplomas from students with an account balance—is a common practice nationwide, it has unintended consequences that disproportionately harm low-income students by placing them in a limbo from which they cannot continue their education or professional advancements. Counter-intuitively, it also inhibits students’ ability to pay account balances while suppressing the local economy by preventing students from re-enrolling and graduates from obtaining gainful employment. The following memorandum explores how states have an opportunity to ban transcript and diploma withholding at academic institutions, allowing students to access documentation of their earned credits and move forward with their educations and careers.
Read the Memo: Transcript and diploma withholding