Dive Summary:
- In a letter sent Tuesday by the U.S. Education Department, colleges were informed that they can apply to provide students in "competency-based" programs with federal student aid.
- The letter also provided a process for applying for the aid, and comes as the department is expected to approve Southern New Hampshire University's application to award aid based on the direct assessment of student learning.
- Martha J. Kanter, the under secretary of education, said Monday that while the department wants to encourage innovation and experimentation, it will "be very careful going forward," expressing concern over potential fraud and employer confidence in new approaches.
From the article:
... At first glance, the letter does not seem all that remarkable; it simply confirms that colleges may apply for aid under the "direct assessment" provision of the Higher Education Act. That authority has existed since 2005, when Congress added the provision to the federal law to benefit Western Governors University.
But Western Governors has never used that authority, opting instead to keep converting its students' competencies into credits. Most other colleges didn't learn about the provision until recently, or assumed it didn't apply to them. ...