Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Students of for-profit colleges worry about loss of accreditation
Listen
• 1:00
Joshua Ziegler, left, and Nick Alvarez are radiology students at Brightwood College in North Hollywood. They're keeping a close eye on loss of authority of the agency that accredits their school.
(
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC
)
The U.S. Department of Education took the unprecedented step two weeks ago to withdraw accreditation authority from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, the largest national accreditor of for-profit colleges.
The ripple effects are being felt in the 45 Southern California colleges accredited by ACICS, including Brightwood College in North Hollywood.
“I know all the issues. They did talk to us about it. And that’s very important to me, about accreditation and how that works,” said Daniela Herrera, a diagnostic medial sonography student.
Officials at her campus told her and other students that the school will remain open. Herrera trusts the school, so she’s not worried.
Support for LAist comes from
“I worried a little bit, I’m not going to lie,” said Nick Alvarez, a radiology technician student at the same campus.
Alvarez said he had thoughts of the recent closings of the ITT Tech and Corinthian College chains.
Brightwood officials said the school is taking steps to seek accreditation from another agency and will remain open.
The stakes for Brightwood and other schools accredited by ACICS are high. California requires accreditation for colleges that award degrees while the federal and state governments require accreditation for a college to receive the public financial aid awarded to a student.
The Accrediting Council is appealing the government’s decision. Accreditation is protected during the process.
The U.S. Department of Education said ACICS had “major problems” doing its job, including monitoring colleges it accredited and enforcing accrediting standards. Officials put out information for students on the department’s blog.
Brightwood officials would not comment on the alleged lax oversight of ACICS or the fraudulent actions of other for-profit chains.
Support for LAist comes from
Some education researchers believe the good apples in the bunch should have done more to call attention to the bad apples.
“I’m assuming as a citizen of California, that when I take classes at an institution that there is someone who has regulated it and says that this is acceptable behavior,” said USC education researcher Bill Tierney.
The growth of the for-profit college industry in the last decade, Tierney said, was like a gold rush and the closing of the for profit chains in the last year and the action against ACICS is a shakeout that will separate the wheat from the chaff.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
-
Hexavalent chromium is the same carcinogen Erin Brockovich warned about in the 1990s, but researchers say more study is needed on the potential health effects of nanoparticles detected earlier this year. Experts will answer questions at a webinar this evening.
Best of LAist