GOP higher-ed bill would eliminate Obama rule on career-prep programs

The House GOP bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act would undo an Obama-era rule requiring career preparation programs at for-profit colleges actually prepare students to get jobs with incomes that allow them to pay off their student loans.

The rule, known as gainful employment, is already in the process of being redone by the Education Department. But the bill — introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) would also prevent the department from implementing a new version of the rule, according to InsideHigherEd.

{mosads}Under the rule, graduates’ estimated annual loan payment has to be at or under 20 percent of their discretionary incomes, or 8 percent of their total income.

Institutions that fail to reach these standards risk losing the ability to participate in federal student aid programs.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced earlier this year that the department would be redoing the rule, as well as a rule that helped students file claims against predatory institutions.

For-profit institutions celebrated the move at the time, claiming the rule had unfairly targeted their programs.