Dive Summary:
- A report issued by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions questions the worth of federal aid and loans at for-profit colleges included in its investigation, which included six congressional hearings, three previous reports, and document requests.
- The findings include that large numbers of students in these institutions fail to earn degrees, linking dropout rates to small amounts of money being spent on teaching.
- The report places blame for for-profits with poor performance on lax accreditation, state oversight, and federal laws, but did offer some praise by adding that their "convenience of nearby campus and online locations, a structured approach to coursework and the flexibility to stop and start classes quickly and easily" makes college an option for many adults who may not have otherwise earned college degrees.
From the article:
A U.S. Senate committee released an unflattering report on the for-profit college sector on Sunday, concluding a two-year investigation led by Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat. While the report is ambitious in scope, and scathingly critical on many points, it appears unlikely to lead to a substantial legislative crackdown on the industry -- at least not during this election year. Issued by staff from the Democratic majority of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the report follows six congressional hearings, three previous reports and broad document requests. ...