Bobby Jindal vs. the Obama Administration's New Department of Education Rules

On Friday, March 21, Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA) published an op-ed in The Washington Examiner about the Department of Education's new regulations concerning institutional eligibility for federal funds under the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. Here's what you need to know about the new regulations and Governor Jindal's response: 

• Two weeks ago, the Department of Education released a draft of new regulations on "Program Integrity: Gainful Employment" concerning the eligibility of postsecondary education programs for the federal student aid programs authorized under title IV of HEA. These regulations, officially published today in the Federal Register, primarily deal with community colleges. 
• The regulations set performance metrics for postsecondary education programs--mostly community colleges, as stated above--to determine whether graduates of these programs are finding gainful employment after graduation. If the graduates of certain postsecondary education programs are not finding gainful employment after graduation, the regulations would strip the program from federal student aid. 
• On March 13, federal officials held a conference call with reporters about these regulations, and said that about 8,000 educational programs will be scrutinized under these new performance metrics. Education Secretary Arne Duncan anticipated about 16 percent of the educational programs will fail to meet the set standards. 
• In a March 21, 2014 op-ed in The Washington Examiner, Governor Jindal argued that, "The proposed 'gainful employment' regulation--which imposes performance metrics on colleges when it comes to their students' post-graduation employment and earnings--sounds good in theory." But, adding that the "devil is in the details" he says "Targeting only institutions that serve non-traditional students means these students, who come from disproportionately low-income, African-American, and Hispanic communities, will be harmed. Facing new mandates that could put them out of business, some institutions may respond by avoiding non-traditional students less likely to graduate--thus reducing education access to those who need quality training most." 
• Click here to read these new Department of Education regulations. There is a 60 day period after regulations have been officially published in the Federal Register where citizens are free to make comments on the regulations. To make a comment on the new Department of Education regulations, click here.