HR0201 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0201 LRB097 11151 GRL 52657 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, President Barack Obama has pledged to provide support to students in an effort to reach his goal of the United States leading the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020; and

WHEREAS, America's higher education system is comprised of public and private schools, both for-profit and not-for-profit; it is a recognized fact that for-profit career colleges and technical schools are a critical part of our educational infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, These schools are currently serving a disproportionately high number of adult, minority, and lower-income students typically identified as "at risk"; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education is considering a Gainful Employment rule that would affect all for-profit colleges, universities, and technical schools here in Illinois and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, The rule would eliminate the opportunity to pursue a chosen program utilizing Title IV financial aid should the student fail to meet an arbitrary debt-to-income ratio; and

WHEREAS, The proposed rule would deny opportunity to students who, due to their socio-economic backgrounds, are most likely to fail this litmus test and thus harm those who need help the most; and

WHEREAS, The students and academic programs that would be most affected by this measure are those most critical to meeting the Obama Administration's post-secondary education goals; and

WHEREAS, For-profit institutions tailor their programs to these non-traditional students who enroll in career and technical programs to gain real-world skills, often while working or caring for their own families; and

WHEREAS, These institutions of higher learning have educated millions of students, afforded them career opportunities, and served the student population extremely well; and

WHEREAS, Rates of student debt incurred to achieve these goals are a concern shared by students, families, and our nation as a whole; and

WHEREAS, The unintended consequences of this regulation would harm students, families, communities, and the economic strength of our nation; and

WHEREAS, A large, bi-partisan majority in the United States House of Representatives has expressed their disapproval of the current rule as an inappropriate response to these issues by voting to defund efforts to implement the proposal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Department of Education and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to not endorse the Gainful Employment rule, an ill-conceived approach to regulating student financial aid which limits choice and opportunity, and instead work with Congress on a solution that does not further harm the very students it seeks to protect; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent to Secretary Arne Duncan.