Position Papers

Position Paper:

State Authorization of Online Academic Programs

     Authorization of online academic programs has long been required in the vast majority of states, but has been observed in the breech. No more. States are now aware that, since so many online programs are operating in their territory—including both non-profit and for-profit providers, there is a great deal of money to be made for state coffers. Most states authorize or license the school itself, for widely varying fees. But some states evaluate and authorize every online program that has current students, or could enroll students in the future. The whole picture is extremely complicated and potentially expensive, and state officials are increasingly overwhelmed by applications.

     Concordant Consulting has experience in dealing with an array of those officials, no matter how overwhelmed they may be. Moreover, we have a record of achieving some unlikely exemptions from authorization and fees when it appeared that the school had enough "physical presence" in the state to trigger the need for authorization. The key is to respect both the academic value of online education and the right of states to regulate the quality of that education for their students. We do just that.

© 2013 by David C. Stinebeck