proprietary schools that overwhelmingly rely on federal student aid for revenue should be allowed to continue participating in Title IV and (2) to what extent proprietary schools are training students for jobs that do not exist. BACKGROUND Vast sums of money funnel into America's higher education system each year through student financial aid programs authorized by Title IV of HEA, as amended. In 1995, about $35.2 billion in aid was made available to almost 7 million students to attend postsecondary institutions, with aid available projected to reach $40 billion in 1997. In As funding for Title IV programs has increased, so have losses to the federal government from honoring its guarantee on student loans. In 1968, the government paid $2 million to cover loan defaults; in 1987, default payments exceeded $1 billion; and by 1991, default claim payments reached a staggering $3.2 billion. 1992, GAO listed the student loan program as 1 of 17 high-risk federal program areas especially vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. More specifically, we found, among other things, that (1) schools used the program as a source of easy income with little regard for students' educational prospects or the likelihood of their repaying loans and (2) management weaknesses plagued the Department that prevented it from keeping on top of these problems.3 The proprietary school sector has been associated with some of the worst examples of program abuse. In the United States, 5,235 proprietary schools represent about 50 percent of all postsecondary institutions. Most are small, enrolling fewer than 100 students, and offer occupational training of 2 years or less in fields ranging from interior design to computer programming. Proprietary schools enrolled more than 1 million students in fall 1993--about 10 percent of all undergraduates. Compared with nonprofit institutions, proprietary schools enroll higher percentages of women, minorities, and lowincome students. About 67 percent of proprietary school students receive federal student aid under Title IV. While average default rates for all postsecondary institutions reached an all-time high of 22 percent in 1990, the default rate for proprietary schools exceeded 41 percent. This disparity has triggered numerous investigations. Congressional investigations, for example, discovered evidence of fraud and abuse by proprietary school owners. The Congress found that some proprietary schools focused their efforts on enrolling educationally disadvantaged students and obtaining federal funds rather than on providing meaningful training or education. The Congress also concluded that 'See Guaranteed Student Loans (GAO/HR-93-2, Dec. 1992). the regulatory oversight system of Title IV programs provided little or no assurance that schools were educating students efficiently or effectively. Several recommendations emanating from these findings were included in the 1992 amendments to HEA. TITLE IV REGULATORY FRAMEWORK The Title IV regulatory structure includes three actors--the Department of Education, states, and accrediting agencies--known as the "triad." Because of concern about federal interference in school operations, curriculum, and instruction, the Department has relied on accrediting agencies and states to determine and enforce standards of program quality. HEA recognizes the roles of the Department, the states, and the accrediting agencies as providing a framework for a shared responsibility for ensuring that the "gate" to student financial aid programs opens only to those institutions that provide students with quality education or training worth the time, energy, and money they invest. Department of Education The Department plays two roles in gatekeeping. First, it verifies institutions' eligibility and certifies their financial and administrative capacity. In verifying institutional eligibility, the Department reviews documents provided by schools to ensure their compliance with state authorization and accreditation requirements; eligibility renewal is conducted every 4 years. In certifying that a school meets financial responsibility requirements, the Department determines whether the school can pay its bills, is financially sound, and that the owners and employees have not previously been convicted of defrauding the federal government. In certifying that institutions meet administrative requirements, the Department determines whether institutions have personnel resources adequate to administer Title IV programs and to maintain student records. Second, the Department grants recognition to accrediting agencies, meaning that the Department certifies that such agencies are reliable authorities as to what constitutes quality education or training provided by postsecondary institutions. In deciding whether to recognize accrediting agencies, the Secretary considers the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. The advisory committee consists of 15 members who are representatives of, or knowledgeable about, postsecondary education and training. Appointed by the Secretary of Education, committee members serve 3-year terms. advisory committee generally holds public meetings twice a year to review petitions for recognition from accrediting agencies. The Department's Accrediting Agency Evaluation Branch is responsible for reviewing information submitted by the accrediting agencies in support of their petitions. Branch officials analyze submitted materials, physically observe an accrediting agency's operations The and decision-making activities, and report their findings to the advisory committee. States Other States use a variety of approaches to regulate postsecondary educational institutions. Some states establish standards concerning things like minimum qualifications of full-time faculty and the amount of library materials and instructional space. state agencies define certain consumer protection measures, such as refund policies. In the normal course of regulating commerce, all states require postsecondary institutions to have a license to operate within their borders. Because of concerns about program integrity, the Congress, in amending HEA in 1992, decided to strengthen the role of states in the regulatory structure by authorizing the creation of State Postsecondary Review Entities (SPRE). Under the amendments, the Department would identify institutions for review by SPRES, using 11 criteria indicative of possible financial or administrative distress. To review institutions, SPRES would use state standards to assess such things as advertising and promotion, financial and administrative practices, student outcomes, and program success. On the basis of their findings, SPRES would recommend to the Department whether institutions should retain Title IV eligibility. The Congress terminated funding for SPREs in 1995. Accrediting Agencies The practice of accreditation arose as a means of having nongovernmental, peer evaluation of educational institutions and programs to ensure a consistent level of quality. Accrediting agencies adopt criteria they consider to reflect the qualities of a sound educational program and develop procedures for evaluating institutions to determine whether they operate at basic levels of quality. As outlined by the Department of Education, the functions of accreditation include -- certifying that an institution or program has met - ¦ - assisting students in identifying acceptable institutions, assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits, - creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions, -- establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure, and identifying institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds. Generally, to obtain initial accreditation, institutions must prepare an in-depth self-evaluation that measures their performance against standards established by the accrediting agency. The accrediting agency, in turn, sends a team of its representatives to the institution to assess whether the applicant meets established standards. A report, containing a recommendation based on the institution's self-evaluation and the accrediting agency's team findings, is reviewed by the accrediting agency's executive panel. The panel either grants accreditation for a specified period of time, typically no longer than 5 years, or denies accreditation. Once accredited, institutions undergo periodic re-evaluation. To retain accreditation, institutions pay sustaining fees and submit status reports to their accrediting agencies annually. The reports detail information on an institution's operations and finances and include information on such things as student enrollment, completion or retention rates, placement rates, and default rates. In addition, institutions are required to notify their accrediting agencies of any significant changes at their institutions involving such things as a change in mission or objectives, management, or ownership. Accrediting agencies judge whether institutions continue to comply with their standards on the basis of the information submitted by institutions and other information such as complaints. Whenever an accrediting agency believes that an institution may not be in compliance, the agency can take a variety of actions. For example, agencies may require institutions simply to provide more information so that they can render a judgment, conduct site visits to gather information, require institutions to take specific actions that address areas of concern, or, in rare instances, ultimately revoke accreditation. RECENT PROPRIETARY SCHOOL TRENDS Recent information points to some favorable trends regarding the participation of proprietary schools in the Title IV program. Fewer proprietary schools participate in Title IV programs now than 5 years ago, a trend reflected in decreased numbers of schools accredited by the six primary accrediting agencies. Proprietary schools receive a much smaller share of Title IV aid dollars now than in the past. And, while the default rates for proprietary school students are still far above those associated with nonprofit institutions, the rates have declined over the past few years. Accreditation For the six agencies we contacted, we observed a trend toward accrediting fewer institutions since 1992 (see table 1). Agency officials pointed out a number of reasons for the decreases, including recent changes in Title IV regulations, more aggressive oversight by accrediting agencies, school closures, and the fact that schools once accredited by two or more agencies are now accredited only by one. We observed no clear trends in other accreditation decisions such as an increasing or decreasing propensity to grant, deny, or revoke school accreditation over the past few years. Some accrediting agency officials told us that because they effectively prescreen institutions applying for accreditation, they would not expect to see much change in the number of cases in which accreditation is denied or applications are withdrawn. |