Each
state has an agency that has the authority to grant
licensure or approval for private postsecondary
vocational/technical schools, non-degree-granting and degree-granting
institutions. Here they are. If you have any questions feel free
to
contact me.
Alabama
The State
Department of Education
The Private School Licensure Division of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education issues Private School Licenses to proprietary postsecondary schools interested in offering courses of instruction, whether on a resident campus or through distance learning, within the State of Alabama; based on recognized educational standards and practices.
Alaska
The Commission on
Postsecondary Education
has licensure and approval authority for
all institutions of postsecondary education including
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools. It also
approves all programs and institutions enrolling students
receiving veteran's benefits.
Arizona
The
Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education
has authority over
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools, private
degree-granting institutions and other vocational-technical and
proprietary schools. The board has 7 members appointed by the
governor, and the superintendent of public instruction serves as
an ex-officio member.
Arkansas
Out-of-state and
proprietary institutions must be certified by the Arkansas
Higher Education Coordinating Board in order to offer degrees
and college-credit courses.
The State Board of Private Career
Education has approval and licensing authority for vocational
and technical programs that do not grant degrees or offer
college-level courses.
California
The Bureau for
Private Postsecondary
has approval and
licensing authority for both degree-granting and non degree-granting
postsecondary programs, schools, colleges and universities
within the state that are unaccredited including
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools.
The Board of
Governors for Higher Education
has licensing and program
approval authority for public and independent degree-granting
institutions of postsecondary education, as well as for
proprietary vocational or technical schools which qualify for
degree-granting status. In July 1993, the department gained
approval authority for all postsecondary private occupational
schools, regardless of degree-granting status. The Connecticut
Department of Higher Education has approval and licensing
authority for for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical
schools.
Delaware
The
State
Department of Education serves as approval authority for all
private degree-granting institutions and vocational-technical
institutions. Proprietary schools (non degree granting) are
approved by the State Board of Education through the Department
of Education. The Delaware Higher Education Commission has
approval and licensing authority for for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools.
District of
Columbia
The D.C. Education
Licensure Commission
is the approval and licensure authority for
private, proprietary and for-profit vocational-technical
postsecondary institutions in the District of Columbia. The
commission has 5 members appointed by the mayor for 3-year terms
and is also the state approving agency for veterans' benefits
and course approvals.
The Non-Public
Postsecondary Education Commission
(NPEC) is a statutory board
comprised of 12 members, 11 appointed from each congressional
district and 1 at-large member. It has approval and licensing
authority for consumer protection by regulating the operations
of private degree-granting institutions, postsecondary
vocation-technical programs and proprietary schools. NPEC also
provides authorization for certificate-granting proprietary
schools. It licenses and approves approximately 150 schools on
an annual basis.
Hawaii
Approval authority
for propriety vocational and technical schools lies with the
State of Hawaii Department of Education. Regarding private
degree-granting institutions, Hawaii has statutory requirements
relating to disclosure and prohibited practice, but not an
approval/licensing law.
Idaho
The State
Department of Education
under the Board of Education functions
as the licensing and approval agency for proprietary schools
including for-profit/proprietary vocational technical schools.
No approval agency exists for private degree-granting
institutions. The Board of Education has statutory authority to
maintain a register of courses and programs offered in Idaho by
non Idaho postsecondary institutions. The board also is
authorized to establish operational standards for out-of-state
institutions, which desire to offer courses or programs in
Idaho.
Illinois
The Board of
Higher Education has authority to approve operating and
degree-granting authority for private institutions. The State
Board of Education
and the Department of Professional Regulation
serve as approval and licensure agencies for most non degree-granting
postsecondary institutions and proprietary institutions not
covered by the Board of Higher Education, including
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools.
TheIowa
Department of Education has approval and licensing authority for
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools. The State
Board of Education has been designated as the official approval
agency for 2-year public postsecondary vocational-technical
programs by the Office of Education. The secretary of state's
office is responsible for registering all out-of-state
institutions offering programs or courses of study in Iowa. In
addition, the secretary of state registers
for-profit/proprietary schools that pass approval by the Iowa
College Student Aid Commission. No approval and licensing agency
exists for private degree-granting institutions.
Kansas
The
State
Department of Education
has approval authority over all
vocational-technical and proprietary institutions in the state.
The Board of Regents has licensure authority over new in-state
degree-granting institutions and registers out-of-state
institutions offering courses in Kansas.
Kentucky
The
Council on
Postsecondary Education
has the statutory authority to license
all nonprofit colleges and universities, including private
degree-granting institutions, which operate in Kentucky, as well
as proprietary, baccalaureate degree-granting institutions.
Other proprietary institutions, which award an associates degree
or other non degree credentials, are licensed by the State Board
for Proprietary Education. Other licensing agencies are
responsible for specialized institutions or programs such as
barbering, cosmetology and nursing.
Louisiana
The
State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education functions as the approval
agency for vocational-technical and proprietary schools. The
Board of Regents serves as the licensing authority for
proprietary schools, which offer academic degrees and for
private academic degree-granting institutions.
The
Maryland
Higher Education Commission has licensing and approval authority
for all public and private institutions of postsecondary
education. In addition, this agency has approval responsibility
for the Veterans Administration.
Massachusetts
The
Board of
Higher Education has licensing authority over the approval of
charters and amendments for independent degree-granting
institutions in the state, both proprietary and nonprofit.
Michigan
The
State Board of
Education has licensing authority for non degree
vocational-technical and proprietary institutions within the
state. Such institutions outside Michigan who wish to recruit
Michigan students must have their recruiters licensed in a
similar manner. The board also approves the charters for private
degree-granting institutions.
The Commission on
College Accreditation functions as the accrediting agency for
public and private degree-granting institutions in the state.
The
Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration
serves as the approval and licensing authority for proprietary
schools. The Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of
Higher Learning is the accrediting agency for all nursing
education programs.
Missouri
The
Department of
Higher Education issues certificates authorizing postsecondary
proprietary institutions to operate within the state that
generally do not involve professional licensure of graduates by
the state's Professional Registration Division of the Department
of Economic Development. The Coordinating Board for Higher
Education has approval and licensing authority for
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools. The Board
of Cosmetology licenses cosmetologists and schools of
cosmetology. The Board of Nursing licenses schools of nursing.
The Department of Higher Education also certifies out-of-state
institutions that have operations in the state of Missouri.
Various types of institutions are exempted from this statutory
requirement, such as religious schools that offer programs
limited to members of specific denominations or religious
organizations.
Montana
Degree-granting
institutions must get the
Board of Regents' approval or be
accredited by 1 of 6 agencies recognized by the Board of
Regents. There is no state agency in Montana that regulates,
licenses or oversees proprietary schools.
Nebraska
The
State Board of
Education
has licensing and approval authority for the majority
of proprietary institutions including for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools. The Coordinating Commission for
Postsecondary Education approves new two- and four-year colleges
and universities, in addition to out-of-state institutions
operating within the state. The Coordinating Commission for
Postsecondary Education has authority to approve the
establishment of private degree-granting institutions.
Nevada
The Commission on
Postsecondary Education
serves as the approval and licensing
authority for private degree-granting, for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical and proprietary institutions.
Any institution
(in- or out-of-state; public, independent, or proprietary)
seeking to offer college credit-bearing coursework in New Jersey
must be licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher
Education.
The State Department of Education is the approval
authority for vocational-technical schools and non collegiate
proprietary schools.
New Mexico
The
Commission on
Higher Education has authority to approve and license private
degree-granting institutions and certain proprietary (career)
schools operating in the state, including for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical education. This authority was substantially
enhanced in 1994. Regionally accredited institutions chartered
in other states and operating branches or otherwise offering
instruction within the state are exempt from regulation. Career
schools that offer training in regulated occupations are subject
to the approval of their corresponding occupational licensing
boards rather than the commission.
The
Board of
Governors of The University of North Carolina functions as the
agency for licensing all baccalaureate degree-granting
institutions that have a physical presence in the state,
including proprietary institutions.
North Dakota
The
State Board
for Vocational and Technical Education functions as the
licensing and approval authority for private degree-granting
institutions and for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical
schools and confers with the chancellor of the North Dakota
University System for official approval of academic institutions
desiring to offer programs or courses in the state.
Ohio
The
Ohio Board of
Regents has statutory responsibility for authorization of
private, nonprofit colleges and universities to operate in Ohio.
The Department of Education approves vocational schools.
Proprietary schools, including for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools, are approved by the Board of
Proprietary School Registration.
Oklahoma
The
State Regents
for Higher Education function as the approval and licensing
agency for public degree-granting institutions. The Department
of Career and Technology Education has supervision over the
vocational and technical schools. The Oklahoma Board of Private
Schools licenses the operation of proprietary schools.
Oregon
The
Office of
Degree Authorization has approval and licensing authority for
most private degree-granting institutions in Oregon and all
out-of-state public and private colleges and universities
offering programs in Oregon. The State Board of Education has
approval authority for private vocational schools. The Oregon
Department of Education has approval and licensing authority for
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools.
Pennsylvania
The Department of
Education has licensing authority for private degree-granting
institutions.
The State Board of Private Licensed Schools
has
authority over for-profit/proprietary schools and
for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical schools.
Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rico
Council on Higher Education (PRCHE) is the licensing and program
approval authority for all public and private higher education
institutions. PRCHE issues licenses for postsecondary nond egree-granting
institutions and for-profit/proprietary vocational-technical
schools. The Human Resources and Occupational Development
Council of Puerto Rico accredits certain public postsecondary
vocational education.
Rhode Island
The
Board of
Governors for Higher Education has approval authority for
private/nonprofit degree-granting institutions not specifically
exempted by statute or legislative action and approval authority
for proprietary schools. For-profit degree-granting institutions
are prohibited from operating in the state by statute.
South Carolina
In 1977,
legislation was adopted requiring the
Commission on Higher
Education to license private degree-granting institutions
established in the state since 1953, except for theological
schools. Authority to license proprietary institutions, which do
not award degrees, and to carry out approval functions required
by the Veterans Administration was transferred from the State
Board of Education to the Commission on Higher Education in
1991. In 1992, the General Assembly passed comprehensive
licensing legislation that replaced both existing statutes; this
legislation clarifies and expands the commission's authority to
license institutions and to grant agent permits, allows it to
set reasonable fees and provides student tuition protection.
South Dakota
No agency or
commission has approval and licensing authority of for-profit or
proprietary schools in South Dakota. These schools file articles
of incorporation with the Secretary of State. Since July 1,
2001, when a new statute became effective, any organization
claiming to confer postsecondary credit or degrees must be
accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education or participate in Title IV federal financial aid. A
violation of this will result in a civil penalty of $25,000.
Tennessee
The
Tennessee
Higher Education Commission has approval and licensing authority
of all postsecondary institutions operating in Tennessee.
Institutions are authorized under the standards established by
the Postsecondary Institutional Authorization Act of 1975 and
must submit annual requests for reauthorization. The scope of
the commission includes both institutions based primarily in
Tennessee, as well as out-of-state institutions offering
programs or courses in the state.
Texas
The
Texas
Workforce Commission is the licensing authority for proprietary
institutions, including for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools. The coordinating board approves
associate of applied science and associate of applied arts
degree programs offered at public and proprietary institutions.
Utah
The
State Board of
Regents
has approval authority for all degree programs offered
in the 10 public institutions. No approval and licensing agency
exists for private degree-granting and proprietary schools. Nonaccredited proprietary schools are required to register with
the Board of Regents.
Vermont
The
State Board of
Education serves as the licensing and approval authority for
private institutions and also authorizes the granting of
degrees. There is no approval authority for private
vocational-technical institutions that do not grant degrees. The
State Department of Education assists the Veterans
Administration in approving programs for veterans' education.
Virginia
The
State Council
of Higher Education
serves as the licensing and approval agency
for private degree-granting institutions and for out-of-state
institutions, which operate in Virginia. The State Department of
Education serves as the approval authority for
vocational-technical and proprietary institutions, which do not
offer degrees.
Washington
The
Higher
Education Coordinating Board administers the regulations
implementing the Educational Services Registration Act for all
degree-granting institutions. Private vocational schools are
registered by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating
Board.
West Virginia
The
West Virginia
Education Policy Commission has licensing and approval authority
for all private degree-granting institutions and for all
for-profit proprietary schools or for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin does not
have a designated approval and licensing authority for private
degree-granting institutions. The
Educational Approval Board
serves as the licensing and approval agency for proprietary
schools in the state, including for-profit/proprietary
vocational-technical schools, and the Wisconsin Technical
College System Board has approval authority for technical
colleges. The Educational Approval Board is attached to the
Wisconsin Technical College System Board for administrative
purposes.
Wyoming
The
Wyoming
Department of Education serves as the licensing and approval
authority for proprietary institutions and proprietary
vocational-technical schools.
