Department of Education Should Withdraw its Innovation-Killing OPM Guidance
Michael Brickman
May 26, 2023
The Obama administration’s policies decimated the for-profit college industry. When President Biden was elected, he seemed destined to double down on these attacks. He promised that he would “require for-profits to first prove their value to the U.S. Department of Education before gaining eligibility for federal aid.” But he also hinted that he would wield the Department’s regulatory apparatus against other for-profit players in higher education too, including a pledge to “crack down on private lenders.” He suggested no similar scrutiny for non-profit or public entities, regardless of the impact on students.
There were always hints, though, that he would not stop there. And in recent weeks, the Biden administration has gone much further than the Obama team against another group of for-profit players: online program management organizations (OPMs), which provide portions of academic programs and many other services to colleges and universities.
