Responses Last Confirmed:

Texas Workforce Commission

Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

Milan George
737-471-1068
Milan.george@twc.texas.gov

Additional Contact

Secretary of State Contact

John B. Scott
512-463-5770
secretary@sos.texas.gov
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

a.
Provide any important information about your agency.

No response provided

Topic

2: Types of Educational Providers Authorized

a.
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. Please provide a short explanation of any ambiguity in the comment section below.

____ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X_ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X_ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____ Religious institutions
____ Tribally-controlled institutions
__X_ Federal Institutions
____ Municipal institutions

b.
Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

__X__ Institution _____ Program _____ Both

c.
Clarifying comments:

TWC regulates the schools themselves. In some cases we co-regulate with other State agencies that do regulate individual programs. In these cases we just require proof of approval by the other agency before we’ll approve our end.

Topic

3: Accreditation

a.
Is accreditation required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

No

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

No response provided

Accreditation Required for:

____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____ Religious institutions
____ Tribally-controlled institutions
____ Federal Institutions
____ Municipal institutions

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

4: Exemptions

a.
Are certain institutions or programs exempt by law or policy from your state authorization requirements?

Yes, various: https://www.twc.texas.gov/partners/exemption-career-school-or-college-licensing

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

No response provided

c.
Web link for exemptions.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

5: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require purely online programs offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Yes

b.
If not, does your agency determine whether an institution must be authorized based on a physical presence (“operating”) standard?

No response provided

c.
Does your agency require correspondence study programs to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Yes

d.
Clarifying comments:

Only degree granting institutions can be eligible for exclusion from regulation in this situation.

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence?

Physical presence is considered when an institution conducts operations and/or training with state boundaries. Externships/clinicals are not considered a physical presence.

b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about SARA participating Institutions.

TWC would conduct the complaint in line with our current investigation methods. If the complaint is substantiated SARA would be notified along with any other relevant state agencies.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.

No response provided

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

No response provided

Contact Name:

Title:

Agency:

Address:

Email:

Phone:

URL:

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs?

Complaint is initiated and investigated by dedicated staff.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

Within Agency

c.
Does this complaint process extend to institutions not authorized by the agency that may enroll residents of the state (such as explicitly distance education programs with no physical presence or exempt institutions)?

No response provided

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

Contact Name: 

Title:

Agency: TWC Career Schools and Colleges

Address: 101 E 15th Street, Austin TX 78778

Email: career.schools@twc.texas.gov

Phone: 512-936-3100

URL

e.
Web link for the complaint form.

No response provided

f.
Clarifying comments:

Institutions approved under SARA are not required to follow TWC’s complaint process.

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

a.
Does your state require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

No

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your state have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

Yes – All institutions licensed must have an approve refund policy.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

11: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your state have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for school closure)?

No response provided

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

12: Reporting

a.
What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued out-of-state authorization?

Completion, Placement and Employment information

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

Yearly

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

Yes

d.
Web link for reporting.

https://www.twc.texas.gov/partners/career-schools-colleges-annual-reporting

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

13: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

https://www.twc.texas.gov/files/partners/rules-chapter-807-career-schools-colleges-twc.pdf

b.
Web link for enforcement information.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

14: Application Process

a.
Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

Applicants must submit listed documentation within established time frames.

b.
Web link for application.

https://www.twc.texas.gov/partners/applying-career-school-or-college-license

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

15: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Yes. $1001 for small school/$3000 for large school. Plus staff application fee’s.

b.
If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

No response provided

c.
Web link for fee information.

https://twc.texas.gov/files/partners/csc-186-fee-sheet-twc.pdf

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

16: Records Retention

a.
When a school closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

No response provided

b.
From what agency do students request their transcripts/records from a closed school?

From the school or transcript repository. TWC does not maintain records.

Agency Name

Contact Person

Contact Phone

Contact Address

Contact Email

Contact website

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

17: Additional Information

a.
Is there anything else about the authorization process in your state that we and others ought to know about?

No response provided