How the Federal Government Will Publicize if Your Institution and Programs are Worth the Price

Education law partner Jonathan Tarnow moderated a panel during the National Association of College University Attorneys (NACUA) 2024 Annual Conference titled “How the Federal Government Will Publicize if Your Institution and Programs are Worth the Price.” The session provided in-house counsel of higher education institutions with an overview and insights regarding the U.S. Department of Education’s “Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment” regulatory framework that took effect on July 1, 2024. 

These new regulations will measure and hold nearly all higher education institutions accountable for the earnings outcomes and student debt associated with their educational programs. Tarnow led the panel’s discussion of the standards and methodologies that can cause an educational program to be federally designated as “high debt burden” or “low earning” and the consequences of such designations on federal student aid eligibility. The panel also addressed the substantial program-level and student data collection that ED is imposing on institutions to implement these regulations, and provided practical insights to help guide institutional decision-makers as they confront potential challenges under the framework.