Washington Post 2012 Annual Report Download - page 22

operate in the state, and may also lose programmatic accreditation necessary for students to obtain licensure and/or
employment in specific professions.
In March 2011, Kaplan University’s institutional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC), sent a request to Kaplan University asking for documents and a report
detailing Kaplan University’s admissions practices and describing Kaplan University’s compliance with HLC Core
Components and policies. Kaplan University complied with this request on April 29, 2011. Kaplan University provided
additional information to the HLC in response to a follow-up request received on January 19, 2012. There is no date for
a formal response or determination from HLC.
In an effort to streamline campus accreditation requirements and overall campus management, KHEC has begun the
process of changing the accreditor of many of its nationally accredited campuses to bring most of them under one
national accreditor. At this time, KHEC cannot predict when this process will be completed or when or if the DOE will
approve the change. Institutional accreditation is necessary for schools to maintain the ability for their students to be
eligible for Title IV loans. The project will require the approvals of the DOE and certain accrediting bodies and state
authorizing agencies.
Programmatic accreditation is the process through which specific programs are reviewed and approved by industry- and
program-specific accrediting entities. Although programmatic accreditation is not generally necessary for Title IV eligibility,
such accreditation may be required to allow students to sit for certain licensure exams or to work in a particular profession
or career or to meet other requirements.
On January 26, 2012, Kaplan University received a notice from the Florida Board of Nursing regarding the Associate’s
degree in nursing program at the Pembroke Pines facility. The letter required Kaplan University to appear at a hearing on
February 1, 2012, to discuss the performance of program graduates on the national nursing certifying exam (NCLEX),
which has fallen below the required standard. As a result of the hearing, the program was placed on probationary status
until the exam pass-rate improves. In 2012, Kaplan University elected to discontinue this program. As a result, Kaplan is
not accepting any new enrollments for this program, although courses in progress will be taught until their completion.
Kaplan has informed the Florida Board of Nursing of this decision.
On December 21, 2011, Kaplan College’s North Hollywood, CA, campus received notification that the Joint Review
Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) withdrew the college’s accreditation for its radiologic
technologist program. Kaplan College appealed this decision, and, as a result, in April 2012, the college’s accreditation
for this program was reinstated. This program had 89 students as of December 31, 2012.
In November 2011, an internal investigation determined that certain students in the Dental Assistant program at Kaplan
College’s Charlotte, NC, campus had not received clear guidance regarding the program’s accreditation and the
employment prospects for graduates of the program. Because the Dental Assistant program is not programmatically
accredited, students graduating from the program are considered by the regulatory agency in North Carolina to have
“Dental Assistant I” status instead of a more advanced “Dental Assistant II” status. All students in the Charlotte Dental
Assistant program were given full tuition refunds, and current students and graduates were offered stipends in exchange
for signing settlement agreements. As of December 31, 2012, all affected students have signed settlement agreements.
The school ceased enrollment in the program and withdrew its license to operate the program in North Carolina. No
other programs at this campus were affected.
In August 2011, Kaplan College’s Modesto, CA, campus was ordered by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education
Schools (ABHES) to show cause why continued accreditation of its Medical Assisting program should not be denied due
to low placement rates. Kaplan College Modesto responded, and ABHES agreed to continue the current grant of
accreditation through December 31, 2012, to allow the campus additional time to continue to show compliance with
ABHES standards. In December 2012, the school voluntarily withdrew ABHES accreditation and will continue to operate
the program without that programmatic level accreditation. The school has informed its institutional accreditor, ACCSC,
and all students of the decision.
Return of Title IV Funds. DOE regulations require schools participating in Title IV programs to calculate correctly and
return on a timely basis unearned Title IV funds disbursed to students who withdraw from a program of study prior to
completion. These funds must be returned in a timely manner, generally within 45 days of the date the school determines
that the student has withdrawn. Under DOE regulations, failure to make timely returns of Title IV program funds for 5% or
more of students sampled in a school’s annual compliance audit could result in a requirement that the school post a letter
of credit in an amount equal to 25% of its prior-year returns of Title IV program funds. Currently, none of KHE’s schools is
required to post a letter of credit. If unearned funds are not properly calculated and returned in a timely manner, an
institution is subject to monetary liabilities, fines or other sanctions.
10 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY