Coalition for Educational Success
April 27, 2011
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Penny Lee, Managing Director of the Coalition for Educational Success, issued the following statement regarding a bipartisan letter signed by 118 members of Congress and sent today to the White House, urging President Obama to reject the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed gainful employment regulation and work with them to enact meaningful reforms to higher education.
“The Department’s proposed regulation was developed through an inappropriate and nontransparent process, driven by a now discredited and flawed GAO report and tainted by ongoing interactions between Senior Department officials and Wall Street short-sellers, which are now being investigated by the Department’s Inspector General.”
“With 118 signatures, including 25 from Congressional Democrats, this letter sends a strong, bipartisan message from Congress to the White House that the U.S. Department of Education’s misguided gainful employment regulation should be completely withdrawn. Members of Congress rightfully point out the far-reaching impact the Department’s regulation will have on underserved and at-risk students, and how the regulation will ultimately limit access to higher education. The Department’s regulation will make it nearly impossible for our nation to achieve the President’s goal of having the highest percentage of college graduates by 2020.
“America’s career colleges can help President Obama achieve his ambitious goal, but the proposed regulation would restrict access to the career college sector of higher education and deny nontraditional students – often working, minority, low-income Americans and active military and veterans – innovative and flexible higher education opportunities. We believe that in dealing with federal support for higher education, all schools should be held to the same standard and not arbitrarily targeted solely because of their tax status.
“The Administration should take notice of this groundswell of opposition, as well as the recent overwhelming and bipartisan vote by the House of Representatives to prohibit the Department from implementing the proposed regulation. If allowed to go forward, the rule will cost in excess of a hundred thousand jobs and deny a pathway to employment for more than a million students, disproportionally effecting minorities and women. There is no question the Department’s gainful employment proposal is a job killer and a prime example of regulatory over-reach.
“The Department’s proposed regulation was developed through an inappropriate and nontransparent process, driven by a now discredited and flawed GAO report and tainted by ongoing interactions between Senior Department officials and Wall Street short-sellers, which are now being investigated by the Department’s Inspector General.”
The Coalition for Educational Success
The Coalition for Educational Success includes many of the nation's leading career colleges, serving more than 350,000 students at 478 campuses in 41 states. Career colleges provide training for students in 17 of the 20 fastest growing fields. The Coalition advocates for policies that support wider access to higher education, particularly for non-traditional students including full-time workers, workforce returners, working parents, minorities and veterans.
Contacts
The Coalition for Educational Success
Noah Black, 202-295-8797
noah.black@harbourgrp.com
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