Section 451.120  Comparison of Graduation or Completion Rates

a)         The following definitions shall apply for purposes of collecting data for comparison of graduation or completion rates as required in Section 14.1 of the Act [105 ILCS 425/14.1] and this Part:  

1)         "Business schools" include but are not limited to schools in which the majority of students are enrolled in courses of instruction or subjects such as accounting, business management, computer programming and operations, court reporting, data entry and reporting, fashion careers, hospitality/hotels, paralegal, retailing and merchandising, secretarial and office skills, securities and banking, travel, and word processing.

2)         "Technical or Vocational schools" include trade schools and other schools in which the majority of students are enrolled in courses of instruction or subjects such as art/design, aviation, appliance repair, automotive repair, bartending, commercial arts, computer maintenance, carpentry, cooking, diesel technology, dog-grooming, drafting, electronics technology, forestry, heating/air conditioning, horseshoeing, interior decoration, locksmithing, modeling, sign painting, radio/television broadcasting, shoe repair, truck driving, welding, and allied health occupations such as dental assistant, health aide, medical assistant, medical records, medical technician, nurse's aide/assistant, and pharmacy assistant.

b)         The Superintendent shall annually review and investigate all approved schools and courses of instruction.  Such annual review shall include a comparison between the graduation or completion rate for the school and the graduation or completion rate for the schools within the industry the school represents such as business, technical or vocational schools, for the reporting period of July 1 through June 30.  Any school that fails to maintain a graduation or completion rate greater than 50% of the average graduation or completion rate for schools within that industry shall be placed on probation for one year.  If that school's graduation or completion rate fails to exceed 50% of the average graduation rate for schools within that industry for that school's next reporting period, then the Superintendent shall revoke that school's approval to operate in the State of Illinois (Section 14.1 of the Act).

c)         To satisfy this requirement schools shall submit data annually to the Superintendent that identifies graduation or completion rates.

1)         Data shall be submitted on forms provided by the Superintendent at the time of application for renewal of the school's certificate of approval.

2)         Data shall be compiled for the school's last completed reporting period of July 1 through June 30 prior to filing a renewal application and shall be certified true and correct by the owner, officer, or chief managing employee.

3)         The graduation or completion rate shall be calculated by dividing the total number of students who completed the course of instruction or graduated in that year by the total number of students who were originally scheduled to complete the course of instruction or graduate in that year, as set forth in their enrollment agreements.

4)         Schools shall maintain records, available for the Superintendent's review, that substantiate the annual graduation or completion rate data submitted.  Recordkeeping required in Section 451.240 of this Part will satisfy the requirements of this subsection (c)(4).

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 7229, effective May 1, 2000)