What Independent Colleges Need to Know About the Forthcoming BDTR Rules
Kate Lee Carey, Jonathon Glass and Naomi Harralson May
Before the end of this month, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is expected to issue a new set of regulations to provide students and former students with expanded rights to avoid having to repay their federal loans based on certain acts or omissions of the institutions they attended.
Department of Education to Distribute Earnings Data for GE Programs
Kate Lee Carey, Jonathon Glass and Nancy Anderson
Institutions with gainful employment (GE) programs will receive the first set of earnings data for those programs’ graduates in the coming days according to a new announcement from the Department of Education. This is a prelude to the first set of draft GE rates, which ED intends to distribute later in October.
ED Senior Department Official Terminates Federal Recognition of ACICS
Jay Vaughan and Naomi Harralson May
On September 22, the Senior Department Official (SDO) for the US Department of Education (ED) released a letter announcing the decision to terminate the recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as a gatekeeper for student financial aid programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV programs).
CA BPPE Issues Final Regulations on Data Reporting and Disclosure
Kate Lee Carey, Nancy Anderson, Matt Johnson and Paul Thompson
After several rounds of public comment and revisions, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE or Bureau) has issued final regulations significantly expanding the data reporting and disclosure requirements with respect to an institution’s Annual Report, Performance Fact Sheets, and website.
Seven Steps to Prepare for the New Gainful Employment Rule
Jonathon Glass and Kate Lee Carey
The Gainful Employment Rules became effective on July 1, 2015, and you probably already know that your institution has a deadline to report six years’ worth of institutional, student and financial data to the Department of Education (ED) by July 31.
ED’s Proposed Rules for Online Learning Present New Compliance Challenges
Nancy Anderson, Matt Johnson and Paul Thompson
On Monday, July 25, the US Department of Education (ED or the Department) formally released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to amend its current state authorization regulations, particularly with respect to distance education programs.
Implications of Potential Denial of ACICS Recognition by ED
Jay Vaughan, Robin Dasher-Alston and Naomi Harralson May
On June 23, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) will meet to consider the recommendation of US Department of Education (ED or the Department) staff that the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) be removed from the list of accrediting agencies recognized by the Department as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education or training offered by institutions it accredits.
ED Issues Sweeping Proposed Rules on Borrower Defense
Jonathon Glass, Mike Goldstein and Kate Lee Carey
Almost four months after the marathon negotiated rulemaking ended in March without consensus, the US Department of Education (ED) has released a massive Notice of Proposed Rulemaking describing how it plans to refocus the rules governing the Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDTR) provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
Challenges to Gainful Employment Student Completer Lists Due July 28
Jonathon Glass and Kate Lee Carey
The US Department of Education has set the deadline for institutions to file corrections to their “student completer lists” as the next major step in ED’s effort to publish the first set of rates under the Gainful Employment Rule.
ED to Propose New Rules for Online Education
Mike Goldstein, Nancy Anderson and Matt Johnson
Last week, the Department of Education (ED or the Department) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed new or amended state authorization regulations. The proposed regulations relate to state authorization requirements that would become a condition of Title IV eligibility, including state approval requirements for distance education programs.
Rulemaking Panel Proposes Process for Student Debt Forgiveness Under BDTR
Jonathon Glass, Mike Goldstein and Kate Lee Carey
This memo discusses the proposed process for students to file claims to have their federal loans forgiven, as well as the role of institutions in that process, under the Final Draft of the BDTR Rule.
New Student Debt Standards Could Allow Massive Loan Forgiveness
Jonathon Glass, Mike Goldstein and Kate Lee Carey
This memo discusses the new federal standards for students to have their federal loans forgiven under the Final Draft of the BDTR Rule.