A group of 30 Senate Democrats sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary John B. King, Jr. this week urging the agency to "improve the transparency and accountability" of the 90/10 rule, according to Politico Morning Education.
The regulation requires that for-profit colleges receive less than 90 percent of their revenue from federal sources to be eligible to participate in federal student aid programs. Currently, military tuition spending and Post 9/11 GI Bill funds do not count toward the threshold of the federal share.
In the letter, the lawmakers -- led by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Patty Murray (D-WA) -- praise the Obama administration's legislative proposal to replace the 90/10 rule with an 85/15 rule, but add that "there is more the department can do to hold colleges accountable under the current 90/10 rule."
Under the 85/15 rule, for-profit colleges would have to receive at least 15 percent of their revenue from nonfederal sources to qualify for federal student aid. That legislation, which was originally introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin, would also alter the current rule to count educational benefits for veterans and members of the military toward that federal limit.
Additionally, the senators want the department to publish the percentage of funds that colleges receive from the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense education programs, to craft new policies to prevent colleges from gaming the system, and to more aggressively verify an institution's 90/10 calculations.
Department spokeswoman Dorie Nolt said, "We look forward to responding to the letter, and appreciate that it acknowledges that the Obama Administration continues to call on Congress to fix the 90/10 rule to better protect veterans, service members, and taxpayers."
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Politico Morning Education
http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-education/2016/06/democrats-press-education-department-on-90-10-rule-214960