Important California BPPE Update: State Authorization Regulations

California private postsecondary school owners should read this important statement from Joanne Wenzel, Deputy Bureau Chief:

Notice to Institutions Regarding United States Department of Education State Authorization Regulations Under 34 CFR §600.9

Dear School Administrator:

On Friday, June 7, 2013, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (Bureau) notified the United States Department of Education (USDE) of the Bureau’s support for an additional one-year extension of the implementation date of the changes to 34 CFR §600.9(a) and (b) (State authorization regulations), until July 1, 2014, for the purpose of allowing the Bureau to review licensing applications for otherwise exempt institutions that choose to seek State authorization through the Bureau, and to conduct compliance inspections for institutions approved by the Bureau by means of accreditation.

The letter to USDE can be found on the Bureau’s website, at: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/schools/extension_06102013.pdf Institutions are welcome to use this letter as the Bureau’s explanation of how the additional one-year extension will permit institutions to comply with amended 34 CFR §600.9 through the process made available by the Bureau. Should USDE request evidence from the institution regarding the specific actions taken by the institution to utilize the State authorization process provided by the Bureau, the Bureau will provide, upon the receipt of an application for approval to operate, an institution with a letter verifying the Bureau’s receipt of that application.

On June 27, 2013, Governor Brown signed legislation relating to the pathway to and impact on an exempt institution that obtains Bureau approval. Assembly Bill 76, approved with the 2013-14 Budget Act, authorizes an institution currently exempt from the Bureau’s oversight to waive its exempt status and voluntarily opt into the Bureau’s oversight. Once an institution chooses Bureau oversight, the institution is no longer authorized to claim an exemption from the Bureau. The legislation also clarifies student placement and salary data collection and reporting requirements for institutions that were previously exempt.

For those institutions currently approved or seeking approval by the Bureau by means of accreditation, once calendared for a compliance inspection, the institution will receive written notification from the Bureau of the pending inspection. For those institutions currently approved by means of accreditation for which a compliance inspection has already been completed, the Bureau will be mailing letters to the institution verifying the date of completion of the compliance inspection.

Licensing applications are located on the Bureau’s website at: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/schools/applications.shtml

Questions regarding the licensing process should be addressed to Leeza Rifredi, Licensing Manager, at leeza.rifredi@dca.ca.gov or (888) 370-7589, Ext. 4

Information regarding the compliance inspection process can be found on the Bureau’s website, at:
http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/compliance.shtml

Questions regarding the process should be addressed to Connie Bouvia, Enforcement Chief, at connie.bouvia@dca.ca.gov or (888) 370-7589, Ext. 3.

Sincerely,

Joanne Wenzel
Deputy Bureau Chief

Correction: Please note that the bill enacting the changes was incorrect in the last e-mail blast. The correct bill was SB 71. We apologize for the confusion.

For additional information regarding BPPE regulations visit: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/