Judge Halts Federal ‘Bare Minimum’ Rule for Career Training Programs

A federal judge in Texas has put on hold a rule that limits the length of career training programs that qualify for federal student aid, a key component of the federal government’s effort to tighten oversight of for-profit schools. In a decision handed down on June 21, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman of the Northern District of Texas sided with a national association of for-profit colleges, granting them a temporary restraining order against the federal rule that is set to take effect on July 1. The so-called “bare minimum” rule prohibits education programs that lead to professional licensure or certification from being longer than the minimum number of clock hours required by a state for someone to practice in the field. If they exceed the minimum, the entire program would lose eligibility for federal student aid....