Californians have been disproportionately affected by the predatory practices of some for-profit schools, and many of the students targeted by these programs are veterans, first-generation college students, single parents, students of color, and foster youth. It is essential that California stand up now to protect these students from harm. There are three bills on the Governor’s desk in California that would improve protections for students – please help get them passed by raising your voice in support!
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- AB 1340 facilitates data-sharing between the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and the Employment Development Department. This data sharing will make it possible for the Bureau to make reliable and verified employment and wage data available to students at California for-profit colleges for the first time.
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- AB 1344 improves state protections to include students enrolled in online out-of-state programs. California’s existing state laws were crafted to ensure that students in California are protected from enrolling in poor quality programs, but these laws largely only currently apply to schools based in California and do little to protect Californians enrolled online at schools located elsewhere. AB 1344 would improve oversight of out-of-state schools enrolling Californians and expand student protections.
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- AB 1346 provides greater financial relief to students harmed by the sudden closure of their program or school by expanding the definition of “economic loss” under the state’s Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF). Students’ costs of enrolling in college far exceed tuition and other direct institutional costs, and when their schools or programs close before they graduate the financial incurred can be extensive. Expanding the STRF definition of “economic loss” would allow students to students to recover losses beyond tuition expenses, such as housing, transportation, and childcare.
