Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Friday that the U.S. Department of Education will rescind the Gainful Employment Rule, a federal regulation designed to protect students and taxpayers from predatory for-profit schools:
“With today’s announcement, the Department of Education is yet again putting the interests of predatory for-profit schools ahead of the interests of students and taxpayers,” said New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood.
The rule protected students and taxpayers by requiring for-profit schools to meet student outcome benchmarks in order to qualify for federal funds.
“The Department’s plan to rescind the Gainful Employment Rule removes this important accountability standard, easing the way for unscrupulous for-profit schools to rake in billions of dollars in federal funding while providing poor-quality programs that leave graduates with insurmountable debt,” Underwood said. “Rescinding the rule is a derogation of the Department’s duty to protect students from exploitation and taxpayers from the waste of federal funds.”
Eighteen attorneys general filed a lawsuit last year against the department challenging its unlawful delay of the Gainful Employment Rule.
