OLYMPIA –The Washington House of Representatives has passed legislation ensuring online, out-of-state institutions seeking to enroll Washington residents must adhere to the same student consumer protections as Washington higher education institutions.
Currently, students can file complaints with the Washington Student Achievement Council if colleges misrepresent academic programs, accreditation, job placement statistics, or student debt and earnings measurements. Out-of-state online schools claim this law does not apply to them, which would leave thousands of Washington students without protections. Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, is correcting this problem with House Bill 1279.
“More and more students are enrolling in online universities. These institutions help reduce cost and accommodate working schedules,” said Pollet. “Online students deserve the same protection and transparency afforded to other Washington students. It shouldn’t matter where their school is based.”
House Bill 1279 creates a level playing field for interstate cooperation with higher education institutions and prioritizes the well-being of Washington students.
The bill reflects findings of the US Department of Education. Recent US Department of Education findings highlight an interstate agreement that disadvantages states with strong student consumer protection laws by preventing them from investigating student complaints against out-of-state online institutions.
Washington’s Attorney General joined 24 other attorneys general on a letter calling for such student consumer protections and reform of interstate agreements citing “investigations revealed widespread abuses in the for-profit college sector.”
House Bill 1279 cleared the House with unanimous support, now heading to the Senate for further consideration. This year’s 105-day session is scheduled to end on March 27.