SB 352 — AN ACT EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON APPROVAL OF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PROGRAMS OF INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

General Assembly   RaisedSubstitute Bill No.

352 February Session, 2018   LCO*_____SB00352HED___031918____* No.AN ACT EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON APPROVAL OF PROGRAMS OF INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

1495   *01495_______HED* Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT   Introduced by:

  (HED)   AN ACT EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON APPROVAL OF PROGRAMS OF INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

(l) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) to (j), inclusive, of this section and subject to the authority of the State Board of Education to regulate teacher education programs, new[new programs of higher learning and program modifications proposed by an independent institution of higher education, as defined in section 10a-173, shall not be subject to approval by the Office of Higher Education, until July 1, [2018]2018,] 2020, provided (1) the institution maintains eligibility to participate in financial aid programs governed by Title IV, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended from time to time, (2) the United States Department of Education has not determined that the institution has a financial responsibility score that is less than 1.5 for the mostperiod recentbeginning fiscalJuly year1, for2018, whichand theending dataon necessaryJune for30, determining2020, thean scoreindependent is available, and (3) the institution hasof beenhigher locatededucation, in the state and accredited as adefined degree-granting institution in goodsection standing10a-173, forshall tensubmit yearsan orapplication moreto by a regional accrediting association recognized by the SecretaryOffice of theHigher UnitedEducation Statesfor Departmentany ofnew Educationprogram andof maintainshigher suchlearning accreditationor status.program modification.

AllSuch institutionsapplication thatshall arebe exemptdeemed fromapproved programby approvalthe byoffice, provided (1) the Officeinstitution ofmaintains Highereligibility Educationto underparticipate thisin subsectionfinancial shallaid fileprograms withgoverned saidby officeTitle notIV, laterPart thanB Julyof first,the andHigher annuallyEducation thereafter,Act (A)of a1965, listas andamended brieffrom descriptiontime ofto anytime, new(2) programsthe United States Department of higherEducation learninghas introducednot bydetermined that the institution inhas thea precedingfinancial academicresponsibility yearscore andthat anyis existingless programsthan of1.5 higherfor learningthe discontinuedmost byrecent thefiscal institutionyear infor which the precedingdata academicnecessary year,for (B)determining the institution'sscore currentis programavailable, approval process, and (C)(3) the institution'sinstitution financialhas responsibilitybeen compositelocated score,in asthe determinedstate byand theaccredited Unitedas Statesa Departmentdegree-granting ofinstitution Education,in good standing for theten mostyears recentor fiscalmore yearby fora whichregional theaccrediting dataassociation necessaryrecognized forby determiningthe Secretary of the scoreUnited isStates available.Department of Education and maintains such accreditation status.

[All institutions that are exempt from program approval by the Office of Higher Education] Any institution that has an application deemed approved under this subsection shall file with [said] the office not later than [July first, and annually thereafter,] July 1, 2019, or July 1, 2020, as the case may be, (A) a list and brief description of any new programs of higher learning introduced by the institution in the preceding academic year and any existing programs of higher learning discontinued by the institution in the preceding academic year, (B) the institution's current program approval process, and (C) the institution's financial responsibility composite score, as determined by the United States Department of Education, for the most recent fiscal year for which the data necessary for determining the score is available.

Sec.

2.

(Effective July 1, 2018) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Office of Higher Education shall develop recommendations for performance-based standards that may be used to qualify independent institutions of higher education for exemption from the requirement that any new programs of higher learning or program modifications proposed by such institutions be approved by the office, pursuant to section 10a-34 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

The performance-based standards may include, but need not be limited to, (1) student graduation rates of the institution, (2) student loan default rates of students enrolled at the institution, (3) rates of employment of graduates of the institution, or (4) any other performance-based measures that the office deems necessary.

The Office of Higher Education shall submit a report containing such recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education.

Section 1 July 1, 2018 10a-34(l) StatementSec. of Purpose:

To2 extendJuly the1, sunset2018 onNew thesection moratoriumHED forJoint privateFavorable institutionsSubst. of higher education to obtain the approval of the Office of Higher Education for new or modified programs.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]