Bill Text: FL H0875 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Nonpublic Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H0875 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-H0875-Introduced.html
HB 875

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to nonpublic postsecondary educational
3institutions; amending s. 1005.02, F.S.; defining the term
4"academic degree"; amending s. 1005.04, F.S.; requiring
5disclosure of institution accreditation status to
6prospective students; providing restrictions relating to
7advertising by licensed institutions; requiring a
8disclosure statement by institutions without certain
9accreditation; providing a form for disclosure; amending
10s. 1005.31, F.S.; requiring that a licensed independent
11postsecondary educational institution notify the
12Commission for Independent Education of changes in its
13accreditation status; revising criteria concerning the
14standards by which the commission evaluates institutions
15for licensure; requiring the licensure of certain
16institutions offering postsecondary education through
17distance or correspondence education; requiring that the
18commission maintain lists on its website concerning the
19accreditation of institutions licensed by the commission;
20amending s. 744.1083, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;
21providing an effective date.
22
23Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25     Section 1.  Subsections (1) through (16) of section
261005.02, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (2)
27through (17), respectively, and a new subsection (1) is added to
28that section to read:
29     1005.02  Definitions.-As used in this chapter, the term:
30     (1)  "Academic degree" means a degree titled as an
31associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. The term
32does not include an occupational associate degree.
33     Section 2.  Section 1005.04, Florida Statutes, is amended
34to read:
35     1005.04  Fair consumer practices.-
36     (1)  Every institution that is under the jurisdiction of
37the commission or is exempt from the jurisdiction or purview of
38the commission pursuant to s. 1005.06(1)(c) or (f) and that
39either directly or indirectly solicits for enrollment any
40student shall:
41     (a)  Disclose to each prospective student a statement of
42the purpose of such institution, its educational programs and
43curricula, a description of its physical facilities, its status
44regarding licensure and accreditation, its fee schedule and
45policies regarding retaining student fees if a student
46withdraws, and a statement regarding the transferability of
47credits to and from other institutions. The institution shall
48make the required disclosures in writing at least 1 week prior
49to enrollment or collection of any tuition from the prospective
50student. The required disclosures may be made in the
51institution's current catalog;
52     (b)  Use a reliable method to assess, before accepting a
53student into a program, the student's ability to complete
54successfully the course of study for which he or she has
55applied;
56     (c)  Inform each student accurately about financial
57assistance and obligations for repayment of loans; describe any
58employment placement services provided and the limitations
59thereof; and refrain from promising or implying guaranteed
60placement, market availability, or salary amounts;
61     (d)  Provide to prospective and enrolled students accurate
62information regarding the relationship of its programs to state
63licensure requirements for practicing related occupations and
64professions in Florida;
65     (e)  Ensure that all advertisements are accurate and not
66misleading;
67     (f)  Publish and follow an equitable prorated refund policy
68for all students, and follow both the federal refund guidelines
69for students receiving federal financial assistance and the
70minimum refund guidelines set by commission rule;
71     (g)  Follow the requirements of state and federal laws that
72require annual reporting with respect to crime statistics and
73physical plant safety and make those reports available to the
74public; and
75     (h)  Publish and follow procedures for handling student
76complaints, disciplinary actions, and appeals.
77     (2)  In addition, Institutions that are required to be
78licensed by the commission shall disclose to prospective
79students that additional information regarding the institution
80may be obtained by contacting the Commission for Independent
81Education, Department of Education, Tallahassee.
82     (3)  A licensed institution offering academic degrees,
83degrees, or diplomas may not advertise or represent that it is
84accredited or include the words "accredited" or "accreditation"
85in its catalogs, brochures, website, advertisements,
86publications, or other promotional materials that are provided
87to, or accessible by, prospective students unless the
88accrediting agency referenced is an accrediting agency
89recognized by the United States Department of Education.
90     (4)  A licensed institution that offers academic degrees
91and is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the
92United States Department of Education shall provide a written
93disclosure to prospective students, prior to enrollment, in
94substantially the following form. The form of the written
95disclosure shall be submitted to the commission for approval
96prior to initial, provisional, or annual licensure and shall be
97made in large bold type, all capital letters, and maintained
98separate from other required disclosures. Prospective students
99shall be required to sign a copy of the form, acknowledging
100receipt of the written disclosure. The disclosure shall state:
101
102(NAME OF INSTITUTION) IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN
103ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES
104DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AS A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT, YOU
105ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A CATALOG AND PROGRAM
106DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH PROGRAM OFFERED BY THIS
107INSTITUTION. IT IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO CAREFULLY REVIEW
108THE INSTITUTIONAL CATALOG AND ALL OTHER MATERIALS
109REGARDING A PROGRAM BEING OFFERED, INCLUDING THE
110OCCUPATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM, PRIOR TO
111ENROLLING IN THE INSTITUTION.
112
113     Section 3.  Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1005.31,
114Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (16) is added to
115that section, to read:
116     1005.31  Licensure of institutions.-
117     (1)(a)  Each college or school operating within this state
118must obtain licensure from the commission unless the institution
119is not under the commission's purview or jurisdiction as
120provided in s. 1005.06.
121     (b)  After licensure, each licensee is solely responsible
122for notifying the commission in writing of:
123     1.  Any change in the licensee's accreditation status.
124     2.  The licensee's current mailing address and the location
125of the institution. A licensee's failure to notify the
126commission of a change of address constitutes a violation of
127this paragraph, and the licensee may be disciplined by the
128commission. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service
129by regular mail to a licensee's last known address of record
130with the commission is constitutes adequate and sufficient
131notice to the licensee for any official communication to the
132licensee by the commission.
133     (2)  The commission shall develop minimum standards by
134which to evaluate institutions for licensure. These standards
135must address include at least the institution's name, financial
136stability, purpose, administrative organization, admissions and
137recruitment, educational programs and curricula, retention,
138completion, career placement, faculty, learning resources,
139student personnel services, physical plant and facilities,
140publications, and disclosure statements about the status of the
141institution with respect to professional certification,
142accreditation, and licensure. The commission may adopt rules to
143ensure that institutions licensed under this section meet these
144standards in ways that are appropriate to achieve the stated
145intent of this chapter, including provisions for nontraditional
146or distance education programs and delivery. An institution
147offering postsecondary education through distance or
148correspondence education to students in the state must be
149licensed by the commission whether or not the institution is
150physically located in the state, unless the institution is not
151under the commission's jurisdiction or purview pursuant to s.
1521005.06.
153     (16)  The commission shall maintain on its website a
154current list of the institutions that are licensed under this
155section and hold accreditation. The list must specify the
156accrediting entity and whether such entity is recognized by the
157United States Department of Education as a reliable authority as
158to the quality of postsecondary education within the meaning of
159the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The commission
160shall also maintain on its website a list of the institutions
161located in the state that maintain or advertise themselves as
162being accredited by an agency that is not recognized by the
163United States Department of Education.
164     Section 4.  Subsection (10) of section 744.1083, Florida
165Statutes, is amended to read:
166     744.1083  Professional guardian registration.-
167     (10)  A state college or university or an independent
168college or university that is located and chartered in Florida,
169that is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
170Association of Colleges and Schools or the Accrediting Council
171for Independent Colleges and Schools, and that confers degrees
172as defined in s. 1005.02(7) may, but is not required to,
173register as a professional guardian under this section. If a
174state college or university or independent college or university
175elects to register as a professional guardian under this
176subsection, the requirements of subsections (3) and (4) do not
177apply and the registration must include only the name, address,
178and employer identification number of the registrant.
179     Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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