Recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 include changes in regulation for State Authorization that may impact online, distance, and correspondence education providers. The relevant language includes:
If an institution is offering postsecondary education through distance or correspondence education to students in a State in which it is not physically located or in which it is otherwise subject to State jurisdiction as determined by the State, the institution must meet any State requirements for it to be legally offering postsecondary distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary the State’s approval upon request. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002)
Southeastern Community College is currently authorized, licensed, registered, exempt or not subject to approval in the following states: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Exemptions/Authorizations for states not listed are currently in progress which include Alabama and Florida. The college will endeavor to seek authorization in any state as needed per enrollment of students in online courses offered by the institution.
The U.S. Department of Education requires disclosure to consumers residing in all states. The list below provides contact information for each state.
Alabama
Alabama Community College System
PO Box 302000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
Contact
Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
Contact
Alaska Office of Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
1031 W. Fourth Avenue, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99501
Arizona
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W. Washington Street
Room 260
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Complaint Procedure
Arkansas
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol Ave
Little Rock, AR 72201
ADHE_Info@adhe.edu
Contact
Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
501 Woodlane, Suite 312S
Little Rock, AR 72201
sbpce@arkansas.gov
Complaint Process
California
Attorney General’s Office
California Department of Justice
Attn: Public Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 9044255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Consumer Protection
Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
Complaint Policy
Connecticut
Connecticut Department of Higher Education
61 Woodland Street
Hartford, CT 06105-2326
Contact
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
165 Capitol Avenue
Room 110
Hartford, CT 06106
trade.practices@ct.gov
Contact
Delaware
Delaware Higher Education Office
Carvel State Office Building, 5th Floor
820 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801-3509
Contact
Delaware Attorney General
Consumer Protection Wilmington:
820 N. French Street, 5th floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
Consumer Protection Unit
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Education Licensure Commission
810 First Street, NE
9th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Complaint Form
Florida
Florida Commission on Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street
Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Commissioner@fldoe.org
File a Complaint
Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220
Tucker, GA 30084-5334
Consumer Resources
Hawaii
Hawaii State Board of Education
PO Box 2360
Honolulu, HI 96804
ocp@dcca.hawaii.gov
Consumer Complaints
Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education
Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
650 West State Street
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
Illinois
Illinois Board of Higher Education
431 East Adams, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62701-1404
info@ibhe.org
Institutional Complaint Hotline: (217) 557-7359
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. 1st Street
Springfield, IL 62777
Contact
Illinois Attorney General
Consumer Fraud Bureau
500 South Second Street
Springfield, IL 62706
File a Complaint
Indiana
Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education
Attn: Director of Regulatory Compliance
302 W Washington Street, Room E201
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Complaint Form
Iowa
Iowa Student Aid Commission
603 E. 12th Street, 5th Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
info@iowacollegeaid.gov
Constituent Request for Review
Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
University Student Complaints
Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Dr. #320
Frankfort, KY 40601-7512
Kentucky Board of Proprietary Education
911 Leawood Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601-3319
Complaint Form
Office of the Attorney General
Capitol Suite 118
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601-3449
consumer.protection@ag.ky.gov
Consumer Complaints
Louisiana
Louisiana Board of Regents
PO Box 3677
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677
Student Complaint Process
Maine
Maine Department of Education
Complaint Investigator
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
jonathan.braff@maine.gov
Maine Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Complaint Form
Maryland
Maryland Higher Education Commission
839 Bestgate Road, Suite 400
Annapolis, MD 21401-3013
How to Resolve a Student Grievance
Maryland Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
consumer@oag.state.md.us
File a Complaint
Consumer Protection Hotline: (410) 528-8662
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place
Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
Complaint Process
Michigan
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
Office of Postsecondary Services
Proprietary School Unit Staff
201 N. Washington Sq.
Lansing, MI 48913
Post-Secondary Student Complaints
Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
Contact
Minnesota Attorney General’s Office
1400 Bremer Tower
445 Minnesota Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Consumer Complaints
Mississippi
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
Mississippi Commission on Proprietary Schools and College Registration
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Attorney General
State of Mississippi
PO Box 22947
Jackson, MS 39225-2947
File a Complaint
Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
PO Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
info@dhe.mo.gov
Montana
Montana Board of Regents
Office of Commissioner of Higher Education
Montana University System
2500 Broadway Street
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
Montana Office of Consumer Protection
2225 11th Avenue
P.O. Box 200151
Helena, MT 59620-0151
contactocp@mt.gov
Complaints & Scams
Nebraska
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
PO Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
Nebraska Department of Education
Investigations Office
301 Centennial Mall South
PO Box 98987
Lincoln, NE 68509-4987
Complaint Form
Nebraska Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
2115 State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Consumer Complaint
Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 727-6432
Nevada
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
3663 East Sunset Road
Suite 202
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120
Complaints
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission
3 Barrell Court #300
Concord, NH 03301-8531
Compliance/Allegation Procedures
New Jersey
New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625
nj_che@che.state.nj.us
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
1 John Fitch Plaza
PO Box 110
Trenton, NJ 08625-0110
schoolapprovalunit@dol.state.nj.us
Conflict Resolution Questionnaire
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
124 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ 07102
File a Complaint
New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Submit a Complaint
New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
5 North Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234
ocueinfo@mail.nysed.gov
Filing a Complaint
New York Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision
New York State Education Department
99 Washington Avenue, Room 1613 OCP
Albany, NY 12234
New York State Department of State
Division of Consumer Protection
Consumer Assistance Unit
5 Empire State Plaza – Suite 2101
Albany, NY 12223-1556
Complaint Process
North Carolina
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
200 West Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Complaint Procedures and Forms
North Carolina Consumer Protection
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
File a Complaint
North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
State Capitol – 15th Floor
600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept. 270
Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
cte@nd.gov
North Dakota Consumer Protection Division
Office of Attorney General
Gateway Professional Center
1050 E. Interstate Ave. Suite 200
Bismarck, ND 58503-5574
Consumer Complaints
Ohio
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
35 East Gay Street, Suite 403
Columbus, OH 43215-3138
Filing a Complaint
Ohio Board of Regents
30 East Broad Street, 36th floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3414
Ohio Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
30 East Broad Street, 14th floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3400
Consumer Complaint Form
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway
Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Oklahoma State Board of Private Vocational Schools
3700 Classen Boulevard
Suite 250
Oklahoma City, OK 73118-2864
Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
Attn: Investigative Analyst
313 NE 21st Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Consumer Complaints
Oregon
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
1500 Valley River Drive
Suite 100
Eugene, OR 97401
Oregon Department of Education
Private Career Schools Office
255 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97310-0203
Dispute Resolutions
Oregon Attorney General
Financial Fraud/Consumer Protection Section
1162 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-4096
Attorney General Hotline & Complaint Process
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Office of Attorney General
Bureau of Consumer Protection
14th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Complaint Form
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education
PO Box 1900
San Juan, PR 00910-1900
Out-of -State Academic Student Complaint Procedure
Puerto Rico Department of Justice
PO 9020192
San Juan, PR 00902-0192
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
Shepard Building
80 Washington Street
Providence, RI 02903
Rhode Island Department of Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
Consumer Protection
South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady St., Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
Complaint Procedures & Form
South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents
306 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501-2545
South Dakota Office of Attorney General
Division of Consumer Protection
1302 E. Hwy 14 Suite 3
Pierre, SD 57501-8053
Handling Complaints
Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway
Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
Complaint Form
Texas
Texas Workforce Commission
Career Schools and Colleges – Room 226-T
101 East 15th Street
Austin, TX 78778-0001
Forms & Publications – Complaints
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1200 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
File a Consumer Complaint
Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
consumerprotection@utah.gov
Complaints
Vermont
Vermont Department of Education
State Board of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
Vermont Attorney General’s Office
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001
How to File a Consumer Complaint
Virginia
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14th St.
James Monroe Building
Richmond, VA 23219
communications@schev.edu
Student Complaints
Washington
Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board
917 Lakeridge Way
PO Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
dainfo@hecb.wa.gov
Protecting Education Consumers
Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
PO Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
workforce@wtb.wa.gov
Complaint Instructions
Washington State Office of the Attorney General
1125 Washington Street SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Contact
File a Complaint
West Virginia
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Blvd E., Ste 700
Charleston, WV 25301-2800
Community and Technical College System of West Virginia
1018 Kanawha Blvd. E., Ste. 700
Charleston, WV 25301
West Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 1789
Charleston, WV 25326-1789
Consumer Complaints
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
30 W. Mifflin St., 9th Floor
P.O. Box 8696
Madison, WI 53708
eabmail@eab.state.wi.us
Student Complaints
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
Attorney General’s Office
123 Capitol Building
200 W. 24th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002
