ED’s New Proposed Regulations: Part 1, State Authorization Reciprocity

Big changes could be in store for institutions that offer programs in other states and for the students they serve. This might surprise you as recent press articles about the Department of Education’s new proposed regulations focused solely on Gainful Employment programs. Our readers need to know that the new package of proposed Federal regulations has significant reach beyond that one issue.

We understand and support the consumer protection goals that motivated additional safeguards for students and Federal financial aid investments. We believe there are better paths to implementing and expanding protections than what is proposed. Meanwhile, institutional personnel should learn about the proposed changes and be vocal in support or opposition of these pending requirements and inform the Department about the impact on their institution and students if implemented as written.

We will post two blog posts this week on these regulations. These posts will provide background on the rulemaking process, give our opinions on the impact of what is being proposed for state authorization reciprocity and for programs leading to professional licensure, inform you on the commenting process, and encourage you to participate. Your voice matters. [...]