50 Groups Urge ED to Maintain Basic Safeguards in Final Distance Education Regulation

Today, a coalition of 50 organizations representing and advocating for students, families, taxpayers, veterans and service members, faculty and staff, civil rights and consumers submitted comments to the Department of Education on their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on distance education. They urged the Department to maintain basic safeguards in the final distance education and innovation regulations, which is particularly critical given the number of schools that have moved to online offerings as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, they encouraged the Department to maintain the consensus provisions in proposed rule regarding regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors, and the existing limits on allowing colleges to outsource programs to unaccredited providers.