The objectives of our audit were to determine whether (1) United Education Institute’s (doing business as UEI College) career pathway programs met the program eligibility requirements set forth in section 484(d)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA); (2) students enrolled in UEI College’s career pathway programs met the student eligibility requirements set forth in section 484(d)(1)(A) of the HEA; and (3) UEI College excluded from students’ enrollment statuses and costs of attendance the component of its career pathway programs that enables a student to attain a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
We concluded that all eight of UEI College’s career pathway programs satisfied all seven of the program eligibility requirements in section 484(d)(2) of the HEA. While we concluded that the school’s career pathway programs satisfied the program eligibility requirements, it did not always retain sufficient documentation to show that students received counseling to support them in achieving their career goals. In addition, we concluded that all students included in our sample received passing scores on a Department-approved ATB test, as required by section 484(d)(1)(A) of the HEA. We also concluded that the ATB tests for students included in our sample from 8 of UEI College’s 11 campuses were independently administered. However, we could not conclude whether the ATB tests taken by the students included in our sample from three campuses were independently administered in compliance with 34 C.F.R. section 668.151 and the ATB test publisher’s rules. Finally, we concluded that UEI College properly excluded the high school completion component of its career pathway programs from the enrollment statuses and costs of attendance for all students included in our sample.
We made 5 recommendations to address the issues identified, including that UEI College retain sufficient documentation to show that all students enrolled in its career pathway programs receive the career counseling required by school policy, that the school provide evidence to Federal Student Aid demonstrating that the ATB tests taken by students at three of its campuses during award year 2020–2021 were independently administered in accordance with Federal regulations and the test publisher’s policies, and Federal Student Aid take appropriate action if UEI College awarded Title IV funds based on ATB tests that were not independently administered in accordance with such regulations and policies.
Oversight and Monitoring—Federal Student Aid
This in one in a series of 3 reports on this subject, see Plaza College's Career Pathways Programs, and Long Island Business Institute’s Career Pathways Programs.