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10.24.2022
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Student Complaints

Student Complaint Information by State and Agency

This list may be use for reference to provide Contact Information for filing complaints as required by 34 CFR 668.43 (b)

The institution must make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution's accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student's complaint.

  • This contact list should be used for reference only.
  • Institutions are responsible for the accuracy they provide in their notifications.
  • SAN can offer no guarantee that the agency listed can enforce state laws upon the institution to act on the complaint.
  • SAN cannot verify the security of the website links offered in this resource.
  • This chart used information provided by the state agency and originally from the no longer live SHEEO surveys.  In some cases, email correspondence and state agency website reviews were incorporated.
  • Complaints regarding courses and programs subject to SARA Policy should be directed to the state portal entity in the home state of the institution.

SAN will review this list on a periodic basis. If you want to let us know of any issues you have using these links, please let us know here.(Last reviewed 1/1/24)

States & TerritoriesAgency NameLink to and/or Information about the State Complaint Process as required by 34 CFR 600.9(a) & (b) - An institution described under §§ 600.4, 600.5, and 600.6 is legally authorized by a State if the State has a process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable State laws.....
Alabama
Alabama Commission on Higher Education - Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
ACCS Private School Licensing Division

For Alabama’s public institutions, contacts are posted to the ACHE website https://ache.edu

Student Complaint Process found here:  https://www.ache.edu/wp-content/State%20Auth/federal-reg.pdf 

https://www.accs.edu/about-accs/private-school-licensure/complaints/ - *note:  Complaints for out-of-state institutions are referred to the ACCS Private School Licensure.  
AlaskaAlaska Commission on Postsecondary Educationhttps://acpe.alaska.gov/ConsumerProtection
American Samoa not found
ArizonaArizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Educationhttps://ppse.az.gov/student-complaint-procedure 
ArkansasArkansas Department of Higher EducationStudent Grievance form:  https://adhe.edu/students-parents/student-grievance-form
CaliforniaBureau for Private Postsecondary Education

for institutions regulated by BPPE:  http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml

for out of state institutions not subject to BPPE:  https://www.dca.ca.gov/consumers/complaints/oos_students.shtml

Colorado

Colorado Department of Higher Education

AND Private Occupational Schools

https://cdhe.colorado.gov/students/how-do-i/filing-a-student-complaint 
ConnecticutThe Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Educationhttp://www.ctohe.org/StudentComplaints.shtml
DelawareDelaware Department of EducationStudent complaint inquiry form: https://education.delaware.gov/families/college-career-life/college-scholarship-financial-aid/dheo-forms/student-complaint-inquiry-form/
District of ColumbiaEducation Licensure CommissionFAQ for Students indicates that complaints my be submitted to the HELC by "clicking here", but there is no hyperlink .  A public complaint webpage was found here:  https://helc.osse.dc.gov/topic/helcadmin/community-stakeholders/public-complaints
Federated State of Micronesia not found
FloridaCommission for Independent Education-Department of EducationCONCERNS & COMPLAINT PROCESS
GeorgiaNonpublic Postsecondary Education Commissionhttps://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-complaints
Guam not found
HawaiiHawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization ProgramFor some reason, website links are routing to the homepage https://cca.hawaii.gov/.  See the drop down for "About", Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program (HPEAP). From that page look at drop down under forms to see Student Forms.  The Student Complaint Process is found there.
IdahoIdaho State Board of Educationhttps://boardofed.idaho.gov/higher-education-private/private-colleges-degree-granting/student-complaint-procedures/
IllinoisIllinois Board of Higher Educationhttps://complaints.ibhe.org/ 
Indiana
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Indiana Commission of Higher Education
https://www.in.gov/dwd/career-training-adult-ed/octs/#tab-665625-Consumer_Information
https://www.in.gov/che/2744.htm
IowaIowa College Student Aid Commissionhttps://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintForm
KansasKansas Board of Regentshttps://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_process
Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
http://cpe.ky.gov/campuses/consumer_complaint.html
Commission Website provides this direction:  File a Complaint
Louisiana
Louisiana Board of Regents
Proprietary Schools
No Complaint Process found on agency website for institutions authorized by Louisiana (Only SARA Process within Institutional Process pdf for purposes of participation in reciprocity for interstate distance education) 
MaineMaine Department of EducationOnly SARA complaint process and forms could be found on the Maine Department of Education website.
MarylandMaryland Higher Education Commissionhttps://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/acadaff/acadaffairsdepartments.aspx - Scroll down to complaint process and form pdfs.
Massachusetts
Office of Private Occupational School Education
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/government/oca-agencies/dpl-lp/schools/students/information-for-students.html
https://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaints.asp
MichiganMichigan Department of Labor & Economic OpportunityPost-Secondary Schools Complaints Filing a Complaint
MinnesotaMinnesota Office of Higher Educationhttp://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078  
Mississippi
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration
http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/student_complaint_process.asp
https://www.mccb.edu/cpscr-complaints
MissouriMissouri Department of Higher Educationhttps://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf
MontanaMontana University System, Montana Board of Regentshttp://www.mus.edu/MUS-statement-of-complaint-process.asp
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Education, Private Postsecondary Career Schools
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/PPCS_Complaint-form.pdf
https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/student-complaints-against-postsecondary-institutions
NevadaNevada Commission on Postsecondary Educationhttp://cpe.nv.gov/Students/Students_Home/  Note the Student Complaint under forms on right hand side.
New HampshireDepartment of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education Commissionhttps://my.doe.nh.gov/ESSWEB/HigherEducation/Complaint.aspx
New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Center for Occupational Employment Information
Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/assets/PDFs/coei/SAU/Conflict%20Resolution%20Questionnaire.pdf Look under Information for Students for the Student Conflict Resolution Form (Complaints)
http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/OSHEComplaintInstructions.shtml
New MexicoNew Mexico Higher Education Departmenthttp://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/hed-student-complaint-form.aspx
New York
Office of College and University Evaluation
Adult Career and Continuing Ed. Services
http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university
http://www.acces.nysed.gov/bpss/student-rights
North Carolina
The University of North Carolina System
The North Carolina Community College System (Office of Proprietary School Services)
https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/
https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/students/student-services/file-a-complaint/
North Dakota
North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education
North Dakota University System
https://www.cte.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/PrivatePS/NDSBCTE_Student_Complaint_Procedure.pdf
https://ndus.edu/state-authorization-sara/  This complaint process appears to be applicable for institutions not participating in reciprocity through SARA as well as SARA participating institutions.
Northern Mariana Islands not found
Ohio
The Ohio Department of Higher Education
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
https://highered.ohio.gov/students/current-college-students/student-complaints/student-complaints
https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/file-a-complaint
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education
The Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools
https://www.okhighered.org/resources/student-complaint-form/
https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/policies/comments-or-complaints.html
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/obpvs/documents/schools/obpvs-complaint-form.pdf
OregonHigher Education Coordinating Commissionhttps://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/Pages/complaints.aspx
PennsylvaniaDepartment of Educationhttps://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/CollegeCareer/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico Council on Education

 http://www.ce.pr.gov/

http://www.agencias.pr.gov/agencias/cepr/inicio/DocumentosCEPR/Documents/SARA/SARA_Complaint_Process.pdf

It appears that this process can be used more broadly than to just address SARA participating institutions.

Republic of Palau not found
Republic of the Marshall Islands not found
Rhode IslandRhode Island Office of Post Secondary Commissionerhttps://riopc.edu/policies/student-complaint-procedures/
South CarolinaSouth Carolina Commission on Higher Educationhttps://che.sc.gov/sites/che/files/Documents/Institutions%20and%20Educators/Complaint_Procedures_and_Form.pdf
South DakotaSecretary of State (South Dakota Attorney General)https://consumer.sd.gov/complaintform.aspx - this is a broad complaint form not just to address postsecondary institutions.
TennesseeTennessee Higher Education Commissionhttps://www.tn.gov/thec/for-students-and-families/transcript-requests-and-institution-complaints.html
TexasTexas Higher Education Coordinating Boardhttps://www.highered.texas.gov/student-complaints/
U.S. Virgin Islands not found
UtahUtah Division of Consumer ProtectionWebsite unclear about student complaint process outside of SARA.  Utah Commerce Division of Consumer Protection
VermontVermont Agency of Educationhttps://education.vermont.gov/documents/postsecondary-program-complaint-resolution VT Agency of Education points to three avenues for complaints:  the institution, the VT Attorney General's office, or the institution's accrediting agency.
VirginiaState Council of Higher Education for Virginiahttps://www.schev.edu/students/resources/student-complaints
Washington
Washington Student Achievement Council
Washington Workforce Training and Educ. Coord. Board
https://wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints
https://www.wtb.wa.gov/private-career-schools/student-resources/
West Virginia
WV Higher Educ. Policy Commission
WV Council for Community & Technical College Education
http://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Student-Complaint-Process-revised.pdf
http://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Student-Complaint-Process-revised.pdf
WisconsinWisconsin Educational Approval Boardhttps://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/EAPFileAComplaint.aspx
WyomingWyoming Department of Educationhttps://edu.wyoming.gov/beyond-the-classroom/school-programs/private-school-licensing/