Minority Watchdog Group ?'s Fed Study Findings

WASHINGTON--Incoming Chairmen of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa, and House Education and Labor Committee, Rep. John Kline, joined by a bipartisan group of Members of Congress, including Rep. Brett Guthrie, Rep. Alcee Hastings, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and Rep. Glenn Thompson, raised serious questions as to the “conclusions and objectivity” of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) work related to for-profit colleges.

“This bipartisan group of Members, including two incoming committee Chairmen, raises critical questions about the flawed methodology and results of the GAO study examining for-profit career colleges. This badly-done study is part of a badly-run process used to develop very bad policy.”

In response to that letter, the Coalition for Educational Success counsel and spokesperson Lanny J. Davis issued the following statement:

“This bipartisan group of Members, including two incoming committee Chairmen, raises critical questions about the flawed methodology and results of the GAO study examining for-profit career colleges. This badly-done study is part of a badly-run process used to develop very bad policy.”

“Given the flaws already noted in the report, and many more now being discovered through an initial analysis of the first set of tapes, the GAO should immediately retract its study and testimony. And since it has relied so heavily on the flawed study to justify its Gainful Employment proposals, the Department of Education should push the ‘pause button’ on the entire rule while Congress conducts a thorough review.”

“Despite repeated requests from Member of Congress and the for-profit schools, Senator Harkin and the GAO still have not released all of the tapes used in the report, nor have they detailed the contacts between Senator Harkin’s office and the GAO staff conducting the study. Similarly, the Department of Education has missed mandated deadlines in responding to various FOIA requests about the rulemaking process and contacts with Wall Street short sellers.”

About the Coalition for Educational Success

The Coalition for Educational Success includes many of the nation's leading career colleges, serving more than 350,000 students at 478 campuses in 41 states. Career colleges provide training for students in 17 of the 20 fastest growing fields. The Coalition advocates for policies that support wider access to higher education, particularly for non-traditional students including full-time workers, workforce returners, working parents, minorities and veterans.