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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Educated Reporter: Career Programs Fail U.S. Department of Education's `Gainful Employment' Tests

The Educated Reporter: Career Programs Fail U.S. Department of Education's `Gainful Employment' Tests:


Career Programs Fail U.S. Department of Education's `Gainful Employment' Tests

The U.S. Department of Education intends to crack down on postsecondary career programs that can’t demonstrate that enough graduates have found “gainful employment,” a move some for-profit colleges say could cost thousands of students the opportunity for a better future.

Amid much controversy, the feds last year set new regulations for career training programs at public, nonprofit and for-profit institutions. In order to qualify for access to federal student aid, the programs must meet the new “gainful employment” requirements, which are designed to ensure graduates are in a position to earn enough money to pay back what they owe.

The career programs will be required to meet federal standards on three metrics: At least 35 percent of former