The Department of Education has issued final regulations aimed at improving program integrity and institutional quality for programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These regulations focus on two key areas: distance education and the return of Title IV funds. They introduce new requirements for institutions to report the enrollment status of students in distance and correspondence courses and streamline the process for returning unearned Title IV funds when a student withdraws. These changes, effective July 1, 2026, seek to enhance data collection and oversight while simplifying administrative procedures for educational institutions.
Simple Explanation
The government made new rules to make sure that online schools do a good job and follow the rules about money for school. These rules help schools keep better track of students and their classes, especially if a student stops going to school and money needs to be returned.