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Streamlining State Approvals for Distance
Education:SARA to the Rescue
Why & How
National Association of Independent College and University
State Executives
November 13, 2013
Presentation by:
Jere J. Mock
Vice President of Programs, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)
Why State Authorization of Distance Education Must Change
States regulate institutions offering distance education within their borders, but with varying requirements and enforcement
Results in a dizzying array of standards, fees, and approval processes for institutions
Institutions’ cost of compliance is high for those
serving students in many states
States are dealing with expanding number of requests for approvals
Inadequate quality assurance & consumer protection in some states
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARAs)
Concept developed via three efforts
Presidents’ Forum/CSG model agreement
The Regional Higher Education Compacts with WICHE as the lead
The national Commission on Regulation of Postsecondary Distance Education
The result: a SARA all 3 groups support
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARAs)
Establishes a voluntary state-level reciprocity process that supports increased
educational attainment by making state
authorization:
More efficient, effective, and uniform in regard
to necessary and reasonable standards of
practice that could span states;
Far less costly for states and institutions, and
thereby, the students they serve
States approve their in-state institutions for participation in SARA
Essential Principles of SARA
Open to accredited, degree-granting postsecondary institutions from all sectors: public colleges and universities, independent institutions, both non-profit and for-profit
Shifts oversight from “imports” to “exports”
SARA states agree to impose no additional (non-SARA) requirements on institutions from other SARA states
Federal Responsibilities
The U.S. Department of Education has
responsibility for assessing the financial
viability of educational providers
Accreditors’ Responsibilities
Accrediting agencies assure the quality of
institutions’ distance learning educational
services. Institutions must be accredited to
participate in SARA
State Responsibilities A participating state (the home state) will have responsibility for
authorizing accredited institutions within its borders that claim the
state as its principal location for accreditation purposes
This includes authorizing all distance learning activities provided
to students in other states (defined in SARA as host states)
The home state has responsibility for consumer protection,
complaint resolution, and ongoing oversight of authorized
institutions
Three Essential
SARA
Partnerships
Essential Principles of SARA
Preserves state approval and oversight of on-the-ground campuses
Is voluntary for states and institutions
Lays out a framework for state-level reciprocity, implementation by the four regional compacts, a National Council for SARA to ensure comprehensive national coverage, and a financial plan to support operations
Sets forth a reasonable, uniform set of triggers of
“physical presence”
The Four Regional Compacts
?
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
The Implementation Schedule
Program funding received -- August
21-member National Board selected -- August
Regional and NC-SARA staff selected –August/September
First NC-SARA board meeting – November 1
Target for accepting state applications – late 2013 and beyond
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Major Changes for Institutions
All must accept ‘state authorization’ for
exported on-line courses and programs
Will only need authorization from HOMEstate to operate in all HOST states participating in reciprocity agreement
Voluntary participation
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Major Changes for Participating StatesWill need “authority” to enter into reciprocity agreements – state legislation
Will need to share information about which
institutions are approved (meet SARA standards) with NC-SARA staff
Also share info about which institutions aren’t operating as they should
Consumer protection regs must include academic malfeasance
Conduct annual reviews
The Solution: State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
The Funding Strategy (Preliminary)
Implementation Funding – First Two Years
Lumina Foundation
$2.8 million
Sustainability funding
Institutional fees
$2,000 – Institutions up to 2,500 FTE
$4,000 – Institutions between 2,500 & 9,999 FTE
$6,000 – Institutions with more than 10,000 FTE
What do states need to do
Determine if state wants to participate
Make any needed changes to statues or rules
Identify agency(ies) to solicit and approve participation of in-state institutions and resolve complaints
Identify a lead/portal agency (if needed)
Develop and submit SARA application to the state’s regional compact
What do institutions need to do
Once a state has joined, degree-granting, accredited institutions can apply to their state’s SARA entity to particpate
Agree to abide by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions’ Guidelines for Distance Education (already a part of accreditation standards for regionally accredited institutions)
Agree to work with its state’s SARA entity to resolve any complaints arising from its students in SARA states
Complete an application and, once accepted, pay the annual fee
Issues SARA does not address
Professional licensing board approval for programs leading to licensing: nursing, teacher education, law, psychology, etc.
Online offerings provided free and beyond the scope of current regulation of the degree programs of accredited
academic institutions (MOOCs)
Non-credit instruction
Learn more about SARA
NC-SARA website: http://nc-sara.org
WCET website: http://wcet.wiche.edu/advance/state-approval
SHEEO website: http://www.sheeo.org
Regional compacts:MHEC – http://www.mhec.org/
NEBHE – http://www.nebhe.org/
SREB – http://www/sreb.org/
WICHE – http://www.wiche.edu/
SARA Contacts
Jennifer Parks, director, M-SARA
[email protected]; 612.677.2770
Kiley Danchise-Curtis, program coordinator,
N-SARA
[email protected]; 617.533.9503
Mary A. Larson, director, S-SARA
[email protected]; 404.875.9211 ext. 219
Rhonda Epper, director, W-SARA
[email protected]; 303.541.0277
Marshall Hill, executive director, National Council
for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
[email protected]; 303.541.0283
