§ 10a-22m — School closure. Revocation of certificate of authorization. Seizure of letter of credit. Issuance of certificate of completion.

(a) A private career school shall notify the commissioner, in writing, at least sixty days prior to closure of such school. The private career school shall provide evidence prior to closing that: (1) All course work is or will be completed by current students at the school; (2) there are no refunds due any students; (3) all student records will be maintained as prescribed in section 10a-22n; (4) final payment has been made to the private career school student protection account; (5) a designation of service form has been filed with the commissioner; and (6) the certificate of authorization has been returned to the commissioner. (b) Any private career school that fails to meet the requirements outlined in subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars per day for each day of noncompliance, except that, any fine assessed on and after the effective date of the regulations adopted pursuant to section 10a-22k , shall be in the amount specified in such regulations, and pursuant to subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 10a-22c , shall be ineligible to be issued a certificate of authorization upon application to operate a private career school. Funds collected pursuant to this subsection shall be placed in the private career student protection account established pursuant to section 10a-22u . (c) If the commissioner revokes a private career school's certificate of authorization, such school shall comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. Failure to comply shall result in further penalties at the discretion of the commissioner. (d) In the event a private career school fails to meet the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of this section and closes prior to graduating all current students, the commissioner may seize the letter of credit filed by the private career school pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10a-22c , and such letter of credit shall be made payable to the private career school student protection account. The commissioner may expend funds from the private career school student protection account up to the amount necessary to facilitate a teach-out of any remaining students up to and including the issuance of a certificate of completion pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. For purposes of this subsection and subsection (e) of this section, (1) “teach-out” means the completion of instruction of a course or program of study in which a student was enrolled, provided the teach-out includes instruction of the entire program of study when a course is a part of such program of study, and (2) “certificate of completion” means the credential, documented in writing, that is issued to a student who completes a course or program of study offered by a private career school. (e) In the event of a private career school closure that fails to meet the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may issue a certificate of completion to each student that, in the commissioner's determination, has successfully completed the student's course or program of study in which the student was enrolled at the private career school.

Legislative History

(P.A. 06-150, S. 14; P.A. 12-156, S. 33; P.A. 16-155, S. 7; P.A. 22-123, S. 22; P.A. 24-81, S. 147.) History: P.A. 12-156 replaced “commissioner” with “executive director”, effective June 15, 2012; P.A. 16-155 added Subsec. (d) re seizure of letter of credit and Subsec. (e) re issuance of certificate of completion, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 22-123 amended Subsec. (b) to allow fines to be specified in regulations and changed “private occupational school” to “private career school” throughout, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 24-81 replaced references to executive director of the Office of Higher Education with Commissioner of Higher Education, effective May 30, 2024.