By: Mary Bart, Faculty Focus
State authorization of online programs is one of the biggest issues confronting higher ed institutions seeking to expand their reach to more distance learners. Since the introduction of federal regulations in October 2010 (section 600.9), institutions have been scrambling to respond to a myriad of state requirements. The Department of Education’s state authorization regulation (commonly referred to as 600.9) says, in part:
Institutions must be authorized to conduct business in a state and may not be exempt from this requirement on the basis of accreditation or years in operation.
Institutions that offer education through distance education to students in a state in which they are not physically located, must meet that state’s requirements.
Therefore, all institutions must be licensed in any state where they do business, as defined by that state’s specific licensing regulations.
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