Education

SAN FRANCISCO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris will join a telephone press call today with incoming Secretary of Education John King and Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell to release new factual findings by the U.S. Department of Education, which are the result of a joint investigation by the Department and the California Attorney General.  The Department of Education analyzed job placement rates at Everest and Wyotech Colleges, as well as additional evidence provided by Attorney General Harris, and concluded that placement rates were widely misrepresented to both enrolled and prospective students. 

These findings will lead to enhanced and streamlined debt relief opportunities for thousands of former students at Everest College and Wyotech College campuses in California as well as students nationwide who attended Everest University online.  Corinthian Colleges, Inc. owned Everest and Wyotech Colleges, along with Heald College.

“Corinthian preyed on vulnerable students who are now buried under mountains of student debt,” said Attorney General Harris.  “Today’s joint investigation findings will expand the pool of Corinthian students eligible for streamlined student loan relief options, helping them rebuild their lives and pursue a brighter future. I thank the Department of Education for joining my office to keep Corinthian accountable for their actions and providing debt relief to students who were misled."

“I commend Attorney General Kamala Harris and her team for their collaboration in the effort to help defrauded Corinthian students receive the relief they are entitled to,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The results of our joint investigation will allow us to get relief to more students more efficiently.  Helping wronged students is much easier when everyone—Congress, State Attorneys General, accreditors, authorizers and the Department—does their part to protect students and works together.  Our team welcomes help from anyone who wants to follow her lead.”

The factual findings will help students establish a case for “defense to repayment” loan relief (the process by which students may be relieved of loan obligations if their schools violated state law) on a program-wide basis to former Corinthian students who enrolled in programs for which Corinthian published false placement rates.  This assistance is vital to students who might otherwise face the difficult task of proving that they are entitled to relief on an individual, case-by-case basis.

The findings from this investigation apply to Everest and Wyotech locations in California, as well as Everest University online programs based in Florida, and add to the existing findings concerning programs at Heald College – which were also a part of the joint investigation with Attorney General Harris’s office.  The Department of Education expects these findings will allow it to simplify and expedite the relief process for tens of thousands of former students at Wyotech and Everest.  Investigations into Corinthian schools by the Department of Education will continue.

Following the April 2015 announcement by Corinthian Colleges, Inc. that it “substantially [ceased] all operations and discontinued instruction” at all Corinthian Colleges, Attorney General Harris announced an online “Interactive Tool for Corinthian Students” to help former Corinthian students learn more about what forms of relief may be available to them, based on their specific circumstances. 

The tool, available at http://oag.ca.gov/corinthiantool, was updated after the June 2015 announcement expanding streamlined relief to certain Heald College students and has now been updated to reflect new options now available for certain former Everest and Wyotech College students.  It prompts students to answer a short series of questions, which will result in a personalized resource sheet with information about types of relief they may be eligible for, information on free local legal aid organizations that may provide advice and assistance in applying for relief, and information on cost-effective educational opportunities in their geographic area. The Department of Education also has information on debt relief for former Corinthian students at www.studentaid.gov/Corinthian.

In 2013, Attorney General Harris filed a lawsuit against Corinthian Colleges, Inc. for false advertising and deceptive marketing targeting vulnerable, low-income students and misrepresenting job placement rates to potential and current students, investors and accrediting agencies.

Last year, after Corinthian’s failure to comply with federal regulations, the Department of Education heightened its oversight of the company.  In February 2015, the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) secured more than $480 million in forgiveness for borrowers who took out Corinthian College’s high-cost private student loans.

In early April of this year, Attorney General Harris urged the U.S. Department of Education to relieve the student loan debt of thousands of students who attended Corinthian Colleges, Inc. campuses.  Later that month, the Department of Education took action against Corinthian Colleges, Inc, issuing a $30 million fine for misrepresentation of its job placement rates at Heald Colleges.  Other steps taken by the Department of Education included placing Corinthian on heightened cash management, requiring the company to sell or close all of its programs, and establishing an independent monitor to protect students, reduce tuition, and eliminate poor-performing programs. 

Former Corinthian students can learn more about debt relief by visiting http://oag.ca.gov/corinthian and www.studentaid.gov/Corinthian.

LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a high-profile affirmative action case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Fisher v. University of Texas, urging the Court to reaffirm its 2003 ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger and allow public universities to consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions.

In the brief, Attorney General Harris argues that public colleges and universities should be able to consider race not only to increase the numbers of underrepresented students of color admitted, but to also ensure that students at these colleges and universities are reflective of a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.  As the Supreme Court ruled in 2003, there is a compelling interest in providing the educational benefits of a diverse student body at public colleges and universities that can justify considering an applicant’s race as part of a holistic admissions plan.  Additionally, the brief argues that diversity on college and university campuses produces benefits that extend into our society and democratic process.

“To prepare our future leaders to thrive in the global workforce, we must embrace the educational benefits of diversity,” said Attorney General Harris.  “I strongly urge the U.S. Supreme Court to reaffirm its decision that public colleges and universities may consider race as one factor in admissions decisions.”

The brief acknowledges the limitations imposed by Proposition 209 on California’s efforts to increase the diversity of its academic institutions.  Proposition 209, among other things, prohibits California from considering race during admissions decisions to its public colleges and universities.  As the brief emphasizes, however, California has a strong interest in retaining the flexibility to change course in the future, and each state should have the broadest discretion permissible to decide how to fashion suitable admission standards.

The U.S. Supreme Court first considered this challenge to the University of Texas admissions plan in 2012 and Attorney General Harris submitted a friend-of-the-court brief at that time.  The President of the University of California and the Chancellors of its campuses have also filed a brief arguing that the University of California is unable to achieve the academic benefits brought by diversity because of Proposition 209, as they did in 2012.

The case is set for oral argument on December 9, 2015.

A copy of the brief is attached to the electronic version of this release at oag.ca.gov/news.

SAN FRANCISCO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and University of California President Janet Napolitano today applauded the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between multiple universities in San Francisco, the San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office to better support and seek justice for survivors of campus sexual assault. Their MOU is based on a Model MOU released by the California Department of Justice in May 2015, which was the product of a collaborative effort between Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, the University of California Office of the President, the Alameda County and San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Offices, and the San Francisco Police Department and Oxnard Police Department.

California is entering a new era of accountability for campus sexual assault. For the first time under California law, campuses across the state are required to immediately alert law enforcement when a sexual assault occurs. As of July 1, 2015, California campuses are required to have policies in place to ensure that reports of violent crime, hate crime, or sexual assault made to campus authorities are immediately disclosed to law enforcement. The Model MOU will help campuses and law enforcement agencies comply with their new obligations, increase reporting, and improve their response to campus sexual assault to seek justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Specifically, the Model MOU lays out key action items that include:

• Clarifying the duties of campus authorities and law enforcement agencies following an assault, including who will act as first responder, who will collect and preserve evidence, and how to share necessary information while preserving victim privacy
• Ensuring that campuses, law enforcement, and community-based organizations work together to connect victims to services – including rape kits – as soon as possible
• Committing to regular training for both the campus and law enforcement communities

By adopting the best practices in this model agreement, school officials and law enforcement agencies can provide clear, accurate, and supportive information to students who have been assaulted, including a clear understanding of how to report an incident to authorities and where and how to seek medical assistance.

"I applaud the San Francisco law enforcement and college partners for adopting our model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to respond to campus violence and sexual assault,” said Attorney General Harris. “I worked with President Napolitano and CA law enforcement to jointly create this Model MOU because we know that we must work together to ensure that perpetrators of sexual assault are held accountable and victims receive the justice and support they deserve. This effort will break down silos and ensure local coordination in response to sexual violence on campus."

University of California President Janet Napolitano said, “This is the kind of outcome California Attorney General Kamala Harris and I envisioned when we unveiled a toolkit in May to help law enforcement agencies improve collaboration on campus sexual assault prevention and response. We salute District Attorney Gascón for taking action on a memorandum of understanding with the UCSF Police Department, SFPD and the San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center.”

In May 2015, Attorney General Harris released the  Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), including both a How-To Guide and Template MOU for law enforcement agencies and institutions of higher learning to utilize in crafting and adopting customized local agreements. At a press conference with University of California President Janet Napolitano, law enforcement leaders, and advocates to announce the Model MOU, Attorney General Harris encouraged campuses to use these resources to improve coordination, collaboration and transparency in addressing campus sexual assault.

To view the Model Memorandum of Understanding, click here: https://oag.ca.gov/campus-sexual-assault. To view the information bulletin released in January, click here: http://bit.ly/1CcwfB1.

LOS ANGELES - Today, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued her third annual report on elementary school truancy and chronic absenteeism in California, In School + On Track 2015. The report finds that, compared to last year, California still faces a crisis in school attendance: 230,000 California elementary school students are chronically absent – missing more than 10% of the school year – and more than 1 in 5 are truant, having three or more unexcused absences.  

The report also outlines significant progress made in the past year in increasing awareness of the importance of attendance within school districts, tracking attendance year over year, and rethinking discipline policies that remove students from the classroom. 

In response, a group of diverse elected officials and advocates from across California released the following statements in support.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson:

“You can have the best facilities, the best teachers, and the best curriculum in the world, but none of that matters if students are not in school. That's why the California Department of Education has put so much effort into increasing school attendance. I welcome Attorney General Kamala Harris’s interest and work on this issue. Together we can make great progress in keeping students in school.”

California Health and Human Services Secretary Diana S. Dooley:

“This report underscores the positive impact that school attendance has on public health, public safety and the long-term health of our state.  We must continue to work towards an environment where all California children have an equal opportunity to succeed.”

David Rattray, Executive Vice President, Education & Workforce Development, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce:

"The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce shares Harris’ concerns about chronic absenteeism and supports her efforts through our partnerships, such as The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. We have long been concerned about the achievement gap with vulnerable students, and her report shows that more than 75 percent of students who are chronically absent are low-income. We believe the talent pool of the future is best served when young people are present and engaged in school. That’s why we support linked learning, connecting students with future careers and real-world challenges, and we know this will be a step towards resolving this crisis.”

Ted Lempert, President, Children Now:

“We commend Attorney General Kamala Harris for her leadership and efforts to highlight the importance of chronic absence and truancy in putting an end to the school-to-prison pipeline. In School + On Track 2015 highlights persistent disparities and provides the most comprehensive analysis available in California, since the statewide data system doesn’t capture attendance data. It highlights the progress some districts are making, and it’s an important reminder that attendance matters and we need all parents and stakeholders to work together to make sure all children are in school and on track to succeed.”

Hedy Chang, Director, Attendance Works:

“The Attorney General’s Office has delivered an impressive report that not only exposes the scope of absenteeism in California but reveals the progress that districts are making toward addressing this problem.  It demonstrates the power of an attorney general to call for monitoring chronic absence and using it as a trigger for prevention and early intervention long before resorting to legal action.”

Serena Clayton, Ph.D., Executive Director, The California School-Based Health Alliance:

“The California School-Based Health Alliance is proud to have contributed to this important report and applauds the Attorney General for calling attention to this issue. School-based health providers across the state have firsthand experience with both the causes and consequences of chronic absence. Economic inequities prevent many children from getting the health, mental health, and dental care they need, which leads to untreated health problems that keep kids out of class. School-based health centers are an important part of a comprehensive solution to improving attendance, advancing equity, and closing the achievement gap.”

Brian Lee, California State Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids:

“On behalf of over 400 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys and victims of crime, we commend the Attorney General for continuing to highlight the need to keep kids in school and learning. Reducing chronic absence, truancy, and suspensions will go a long way towards keeping kids off the streets, out of trouble and on track to success; it will also enhance the safety of our communities and neighborhoods today, tomorrow, and in the long run.” 

Jennifer Peck, Executive Director, Partnership for Children & Youth:

“The Partnership for Children & Youth commends Attorney General Kamala Harris’ leadership in shining a light on the role that chronic absence and attendance play in our education system, and how significantly they contribute to the achievement and opportunity gaps. This new report is a crucial step in raising awareness about the challenge, and highlights solutions we must all work towards. We are excited to work with the Attorney General and other partners to make sure we are doing more to support young people with after school and summer program opportunities and to spread the growth of Community Schools so that more kids are getting the support they need to show up at school, ready to learn, every day.”

The entire report is available at www.oag.ca.gov/truancy/2015.

LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued her third annual statewide report on elementary school truancy and chronic absence in California, In School + On Track 2015: http://www.oag.ca.gov/truancy/2015. The report finds that, compared to last year, California still faces a crisis in school attendance: 230,000 California elementary school students are chronically absent – missing more than 10% of the school year – and more than 1 in 5 are truant, having three or more unexcused absences.  

The report also outlines significant progress made in the past year in increasing awareness of the importance of attendance within school districts, tracking attendance year over year, and rethinking discipline policies that remove students from the classroom.

“Elementary school truancy has sweeping implications for our state’s economy and public safety,” said Attorney General Harris. "When our youngest students are missing more than 10% of the school year, we know that they often fall behind and never catch up.  This report shows that we are making progress, but we must do more to keep our children in school.”

The new report, In School + On Track 2015, offers new insights and updated data on California’s truancy crisis, which is particularly stark in the earliest grades. According to the report, nearly 15% of kindergarteners are chronically absent (missing more than 10% of the school year) and the kindergarten truancy rate for the past year neared 30%. Racial disparities are alarming in these early grades: chronic absence rates for Native American and African American students were almost 30% in kindergarten.

These figures have long-term repercussions, as 83% percent of students who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade will not read proficiently in third grade and will therefore be four times more likely to drop out of high school. 

In addition, racial and income disparities persist beyond kindergarten and throughout elementary school: close to 20% of African American and Native American students are chronically absent, and over 75% of the students who are chronically absent are low-income.  School discipline policies also disproportionately affect students of color.  African American elementary school students are four times more likely to be suspended than white students.  Overall, elementary school students in California missed an estimated 110,000 days of school due to suspensions alone.

Since last year’s report was issued, however, school districts have made significant strides: 

• Over 95% of districts reported that they have made changes to policies and programs to improve attendance, or plan to do so for  the 2015-2016 school year.
• More than 60% of districts cited increased awareness as a reason for changes in their attendance programs.
• There has been a 10% increase in districts collecting and monitoring attendance data longitudinally (year over year) since last year’s report (from 72% to 82%).
• For the past two years, 25% of districts each year have changed policies so that students would miss less time in school for suspensions.

Additional information broken down by county is available under 2015 data here.

In School + On Track cites examples of successful advances in addressing our state’s elementary school attendance crisis, including intervening early, communicating more effectively with parents, addressing discipline policies that disproportionately affect students of color and remove students from the classroom, creating new public-private partnerships to support students and families, and using Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to set clear goals to reduce truancy and chronic absenteeism.

Despite progress at the individual district level in monitoring and tracking attendance, the report points out that California still lacks a statewide longitudinal system for tracking student attendance and chronic absenteeism.

Attorney General Harris’ 2013 In School + On Track (https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2013) report contained the first statewide statistics on California’s elementary school truancy crisis and directly linked public education and public safety. Students who finish third grade but are not at third grade reading level are statistically more likely to drop out of high school. Annually, dropouts cost California taxpayers an estimated $46.4 billion in incarceration, lost productivity and lost taxes. 

The 2014 In School + On Track report (https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2014) released updated data and looked specifically at gaps in state infrastructure for collecting attendance information and disparities in student attendance and discipline by race, income, and other subgroups such as foster youth.

As District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General Harris started a citywide elementary school truancy initiative in 2006.  In the course of investigating factors contributing to the city’s violent crime rate, she found that 94% of San Francisco homicide victims under age 25 were high school dropouts.  Then-District Attorney Harris formed a partnership with the school district to inform parents about their legal duty to ensure that their children attended school, provide parents of chronically truant students with wrap-around services and school-based mediation, and prosecute parents in the most severe cases where other interventions did not work.

The report is available in its entirety online at: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2015

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today joined the Center for American Progress on a telephone press conference to discuss California’s efforts to combat elementary school truancy and unveil a new report released today by the Center for American Progress, “The High Cost of Truancy.”

“Debates about our nation’s public education system are moot if our children aren’t in class,” said Attorney General Harris. “Truancy is a major problem in California and nationwide, resulting in significant economic loss and increased public safety costs.  This report should serve as a call to action, because every child deserves an equal education.”

Attorney General Harris will release her annual report on California’s elementary school truancy and absenteeism crisis, “In School + On Track,” next month.

The report released today by the Center for American Progress finds that as the U.S. undergoes drastic demographic shifts, our population, schools, and labor force cannot afford the high cost of truancy.  The report identifies how and why students become disconnected from school and who is most at risk of chronic absenteeism, while also outlining the consequences of truancy and identifying promising measures states are taking to tackle truancy.  View the report here: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/report/2015/08/19/109863/.

The report also presents concrete and actionable federal, state, and local policy recommendations to combat truancy, including to:

• Develop a national definition for truancy, chronic truancy, and chronic absenteeism.
• Improve data collection for early warning systems.
• Increase wrap-around services and align them with student needs.
• Reduce punitive policies.
• Increase parental involvement and the accessibility and availability of education programs.

In 2013, Attorney General Harris released the first ever report, “In School + On Track,” on the impact of elementary school truancy on our state, including the implications on educational equity, criminal justice, and public safety.

The 2014 report found that a quarter of a million elementary school students in California missed 10% or more of the 2013-2014 school year and almost 90% of the elementary students who are missing over a month of school per year were from low-income families.   More than 1 in 5 African American students were chronically absent, more than double the average for white students, and African American elementary school students were chronically truant at nearly four times the rate of all students.

These racial disparities are particularly troubling in light of the fact that more than half of all babies born in the U.S. today are children of color, and for the first time in history, the majority of the 2014-2015 public school K-12 population nationwide is projected to be students of color.

View the reports here: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy.

As the District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General Harris started a citywide truancy initiative in 2006.  Over a two-year period, then-District Attorney Harris’ initiative reduced truancy among elementary students in San Francisco by 23%, according to the San Francisco Unified School District.  The initiative also served as a model for SB 1317 (Leno), which defined “chronic truancy” for the first time under state law and established the initiative’s model of combining meaningful services with smart sanctions in the California Penal Code.  The bill was sponsored by then-District Attorney Harris and was enacted into law in 2010.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris will join Center for American Progress Director of Education Policy Tiffany D. Miller on a telephone press call tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25 at 11 a.m. PDT to discuss California’s efforts to combat elementary school truancy and unveil a new report from the Center for American Progress.

Attorney General Harris will release her annual report on California’s elementary school truancy and absenteeism crisis, “In School + On Track,” next month.

WHO:

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris
Tiffany D. Miller, Director of Education Policy, Center for American Progress
Carmel Martin, Executive Vice President for Policy, Center for American Progress (moderator)

WHEN:

Tuesday, August 25, 2015
11 a.m. PDT

WHERE:

To RSVP to this call and receive an advance copy of the Center for American Progress’s new report, please email Tanya S. Arditi at tarditi@americanprogress.org with the subject line “Truancy Press Call RSVP”.

NOTES:

This call is open to credentialed media only.

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued a consumer alert to Californians based on an increased number of complaints regarding student loan debt consolidation scams received by the Attorney General’s Public Inquiry Unit. Often times purporting to offer “student debt management” or “student loan consolidation” plans, private companies are charging borrowers upfront or monthly fees for FREE federal loan benefits. These companies may claim that they have a special relationship with the Department of Education or that a special governmental loan consolidation will be ending soon and will urge students to use their services in obtaining student loan consolidation or relief. Many times these companies will charge an initial application fee as well as a monthly service fee. 

Consolidating federal student loans is FREE and can only be done through the Federal Direct Consolidation Program. A Direct Consolidation Loan will combine multiple federal student loans into one loan, resulting in a single monthly payment. Most Direct Consolidation Loans will be eligible for alternative payment plans, including income-driven repayment plans that can lower monthly payments according to income levels. Private education loans are not eligible for the Federal Direct Consolidation Program.

Applying for a Direct Consolidation Loan can be completed online:

Step 1:  Find out more information on the eligibility requirements, benefits, and potential warnings against federal loan consolidation at the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/consolidation. 

Step 2:  Make a list of all of your federal student loans. You can get a complete list of all of your federal loans here: https://nslds.ed.gov/nslds/nslds_SA/.

Step 3:  Apply for a Direct Consolidation Loan by completing and submitting the FREE Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note found here: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/consolidationPaper.action.  

Step 4:  Choose and apply for a Repayment Plan option. If you are having trouble making your student loan payments, you may want to consider an income-driven repayment plan such as the Income Based Repayment Plan, Pay As You Earn Plan, Income Contingent Repayment Plan, or the Income Sensitive Repayment Plan: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans. The online Repayment Estimator may be helpful in determining the best repayment plan for your needs: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/mobile/repayment/repaymentEstimator.action.  

If You Are a Current Servicemember with Federal Student Loans:

As a current servicemember you may be eligible for special benefits and repayment options for your federal student loans. More information can be found here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/military-student-loan-benefits.pdf.  

For More Information on Federal Loan Consolidation: 

If you have questions about consolidating your federal student loans, you can contact the Department of Education’s Loan Consolidation Information Call Center at: (800) 557-7392 or visit www.studentloans.gov/. 

To File a Complaint About a Possible Student Loan Debt Relief Scam, Contact:

The Attorney General’s Public Inquiry Unit: https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to the California High School Exit Exam controversy, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris released the following statement:

“As the result of a thoughtless bureaucratic blunder, thousands of high school graduates face the prospect of not being able to enroll in college, serve their country through the military, or pursue other professional goals.  This oversight creates real and immediate harm for these students.  I look forward to working with our state leaders to fix this injustice immediately and ensure our students are given the opportunity to pursue their educational and professional dreams."

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today released an enhanced interactive tool to help former Corinthian Colleges, Inc. students  learn about new expanded loan relief options granted to students by the U.S. Department of Education. As a result of the Department’s announcement, a large majority of former California Heald College students are now eligible for a streamlined process for loan forgiveness, with an estimated $500-$600 million worth of loans made to approximately 40,000 former Heald students since 2010. 

Corinthian students should utilize the interactive tool created by the Attorney General’s office to learn more about their new relief eligibility and to connect with free resources near them. 

Students will be prompted to answer a short series of questions, which will result in a personalized resource sheet that can be downloaded or emailed for future reference. The personal resource sheet will provide students with information about types of relief they may be eligible for, information on free local legal aid organizations that may provide advice and assistance in applying for relief, and can optionally provide information on cost-effective educational opportunities near them.   

This week, the U.S. Department of Education announced expanded debt relief options for Corinthian students, which will result in many more students being eligible for relief. Specifically, the Department expanded eligibility for students to apply for a closed school discharge, extending the eligibility window back to June 20, 2014 for students who withdrew from a Corinthian College. With the recent closure of all of Corinthian’s California campuses, students in the state will greatly benefit from the Department of Education’s expanded relief effort.  Additionally, the Department announced a streamlined process for many former Heald students to apply for relief through a borrower defense to repayment.   Ten of the thirteen former Heald Colleges were located in California.

The Department of Education’s announcement comes after continuous calls from Attorney General Harris for substantive relief for students suffering from crippling debt.

In May, Attorney General Harris sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, asking the Department to exercise its authority under closed school discharge regulations to provide aid to students affected by Corinthian’s predatory practices.   

In April, Attorney General Harris and eight other state Attorneys General also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging immediate debt relief for the students who attended Heald College and other CCI campuses. 

Attorney General Harris filed a complaint in 2013 alleging that CCI misrepresented job placement rates and school programs and intentionally targeted low-income, vulnerable Californians through persistent internet, telemarketing and television ad campaigns. In addition, the complaint alleges that Corinthian executives knowingly misrepresented job placement rates to investors and accrediting agencies, harming students, investors and taxpayers.

Students can access the interactive tool here: http://oag.ca.gov/corinthiantool