Coalition Statement on GAO Report on Higher Education Student Outcomes

Following the release of the Government Accountability Office's report entitled "Student Outcomes Vary at For-Profit, Nonprofit, and Public Schools," Coalition for Educational Success Managing Director Penny Lee released the following statement:

"Career colleges are committed to providing innovative, high quality workforce training to underserved and low-income populations, such workforce returners, working parents, minorities and veterans. The GAO says as much in its report:

For-profit school students had higher graduation rates for certificate programs and similar graduation rates for associate's degree programs as public and non-profit schools
36 percent of low-income students who started at for-profit schools completed a certificate, compared to 6 percent at 2-year public schools
Students who started at for-profit schools have similar annual earnings as students starting at nonprofit and public schools

"We are encouraged to see that the GAO and members of Congress are now looking to measure all institutions of higher education, not just career colleges. We believe all institutions of higher education, regardless of a school's tax status, should be focused on offering students an education that makes them 'Job Ready' and puts them on the pathway toward a career. The career college sector hopes to work with all of higher education to discuss improvements to the nation's higher education system and the creation a single standard for all schools."

Coalition for Educational Success
The Coalition for Educational Success includes many of the nation's leading career colleges. 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.

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