Responses Last Confirmed:

Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools

Agency Contact

John Ware
614-466-7802
john.ware@scr.state.oh.us

Additional Contact

Laura Essman
614-466-7833

Secretary of State Contact

Frank LaRose
614-466-3910
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

a.
Provide any important information about your agency.

The Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools (f/k/a State Board of Proprietary School Registration) monitors and regulates Ohio’s private post-secondary career colleges and schools to ensure compliance with minimum standards set by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3332.

Public and non-public degree granting institutions are also subject to approval by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Topic

2: Types of Educational Providers Authorized

a.
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. Please provide a short explanation of any ambiguity in the comment section below.

_____ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
_____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X__ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

b.
Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

____ Institution   _____ Program   ___X__ Both

c.
Clarifying comments:

The Board licenses schools and also approves individual degree and non-degree programs at licensed schools.

Topic

3: Accreditation

a.
Is accreditation required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

Accreditation is required for institutions seeking to offer degree level programs. No accreditation is required for non-degree programs. Public and non-public degree granting institutions are also subject to approval by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

Accreditation Required for:
____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____ Religious institutions
____ Tribally-controlled institutions
____ Federal Institutions
____ Municipal institutions

c.
Clarifying comments:

See above comments.

Topic

4: Exemptions

a.
Are certain institutions or programs exempt by law or policy from your state authorization requirements?

There are exemptions provided in Ohio Revised Code section 3332.02

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

Public schools and colleges and degree granting non-profit institutions are exempt. Business-to-business training programs are also exempt.

c.
Web link for exemptions.
d.
Clarifying comments:

For more information about exemptions please contact our office.

Topic

5: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require purely online programs offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Authorization for out-of-state distance education programs is required if an institution has classrooms or other teaching facilities in Ohio or if the school is actively recruiting within the state (e.g. has recruiters or other staff attending college fairs or meeting in-person with students in Ohio.)

b.
If not, does your agency determine whether an institution must be authorized based on a physical presence (“operating”) standard?

See answer above.

c.
Does your agency require correspondence study programs to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Same standards apply to online and correspondence schools.

d.
Clarifying comments:

For more information about out-of-state distance education please contact our office.

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence?
b.
Web link for physical presence definition.
c.
Clarifying comments:

For more information about physical presence please contact our office.

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about SARA participating Institutions.

Complaints against in-state SARA institutions approved by the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools are handled by the Board’s staff. Complaints against out-of-state SARA institutions are handled by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

See answer above

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.

Complaints against schools approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools: https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/file-a-complaint/6-file-a-complaint

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

Contact Name: Emily Witt

Title: Program Administrator

Agency:  Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools

Address:  30 East Broad St., Suite 2481 Columbus, OH 43215

Email:  emily.witt@scr.state.oh.us

Phone:  614-466-7861

URL:

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs?

If the school is approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools the complaint would be handled through the normal complaint process: https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/file-a-complaint/6-file-a-complaint

If the school is not-approved and out-of-state the complaint would be referred to the appropriate agency in the school’s home state.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

See answer above.

c.
Does this complaint process extend to institutions not authorized by the agency that may enroll residents of the state (such as explicitly distance education programs with no physical presence or exempt institutions)?

See answer above.

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

Same as above.

Contact Name: Emily Witt

Title: Program Administrator

Agency:  Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools

Address:  30 East Broad St., Suite 2481 Columbus, OH 43215

Email:  emily.witt@scr.state.oh.us

Phone:  614-466-7861

URL:

f.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

a.
Does your state require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

Yes if they require Ohio approval.

c.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your state have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

Yes for schools approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

All schools approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools must have a refund policy that meets the standards required or is otherwise more favorable to the student.

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.
d.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

11: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your state have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for school closure)?

Yes.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

Schools approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.

d.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

12: Reporting

a.
What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued out-of-state authorization?

All schools must file an annual report (July 1-June 30) that is generally due in October. Information about student enrollments and outcomes is collected.

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

Yearly

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

Yes, it is a public record.

d.
Web link for reporting.

N/A

e.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

13: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

The Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools can impose monetary fines and suspend/revoke certificates of registration or program authorization. For some fraudulent activity criminal penalties may be imposed.

b.
Web link for enforcement information.
c.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

14: Application Process

a.
Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

All schools seeking approval must submit an application for institutional and program approval. The application is submitted online and after it has been reviewed is approved during public Board meeting.

c.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

15: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Yes.

b.
If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

See fee schedule for more information.

d.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

16: Records Retention

a.
When a school closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

Schools are generally required to make arrangements for records access post closure. If a school is unable to provide access to records, the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools will work to find a solution.

b.
When a school closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

Contact Name:  Emily Witt

Title: Program Administrator

Agency:  Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools

Address:  30 East Broad St., Suite 2481 Clumbus, OH 43215

Email:  emily.witt@scr.state.oh.us

Phone:  614-466-7861

Web site: https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/student-transcripts

c.
Clarifying comments:

N/A

Topic

17: Additional Information

a.
Is there anything else about the authorization process in your state that we and others ought to know about?

N/A