Students Urged to Attend Licensed Private “Proprietary” Career Schools to Get the Education They Deserve

With the start of the new school year, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) and New York State Education Department (SED) are urging students who attend private career schools, also known as proprietary schools, which offer certificate or diploma programs to learn a trade or to prepare for a business occupation, to make sure their school is licensed by the State. The Agencies are working together to raise awareness about licensure and standards through workshops and printed materials.

There are about 450 licensed private “proprietary” schools in New York, offering training leading to the possibility of a career as a Medical Assistant, Certified Nurse’s Aide, Barber, Cosmetologist, Esthetician & Nail Technologist, Personal Trainer, Computer Programmer, Auto Mechanic and many others. These schools are required by law to be licensed, and must meet rigorous State standards. Licensed schools display a special logo (at right), and provide many benefits to their students that are not available from unlicensed schools.

“There are numerous trade schools operating without licenses in New York State and under the radar screen,” said Mindy A. Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the CPB. “Most people pursue education to help them obtain a good job and to improve their standard of living. We don’t want consumers taking the unnecessary risk of spending their hard-earned money to attend an unlicensed school which cannot provide the assurances and possibilities they need to achieve their goals. Thus, we are advising consumers not to ‘cash in their chips’ on an education leading to nowhere!”

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, “It is critically important that students seeking to further their career opportunities choose a trade school that is licensed. That’s the best way for them to ensure that the time, effort and money they’ve invested in their education will be protected.”

Licensed schools afford students with protections, such as tuition refunds available through the State’s Tuition Refund Account (TRA) and a formal complaint process, and provide quality education by licensed instructors. Unfortunately, there are many trade schools operating without licenses. The location and standards of unlicensed schools are not known to the State, making oversight difficult. Prospective students are strongly advised to do their homework before plunking down their money. The CPB and SED recommend that students check to see if there are any complaints against their schools, as even some licensed schools may be identified by the State as problematic. However, since these schools are known to the State and their performance is tracked, students have recourse should the school be closed or present problems requiring corrective action.

Students attending licensed private career schools receive many benefits and protections which cannot be provided to students who attend non-licensed schools. Licensed schools provide:

• Job training recognized by employers
• State-approved admission requirements, catalogs and enrollment agreements
• State-authorized directors and instructors
• State-approved curriculum and equipment, reviewed by experts in the field
• State-determined refund policies
• Student tuition protection and reimbursement provisions
• Facilities meeting State and local building, fire and health codes

In order to increase consumer understanding of the benefits of attending licensed proprietary schools, the CPB and SED have created a brochure containing tips, available through the CPB at: www.nysconsumer.gov or the SED’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision at: www.highered.nysed.gov/bpss, and will be posted in English, Spanish and Chinese. Additional translations will be available shortly. The Agencies will be conducting outreach and education sessions on a continuing basis, and upon request, statewide.

To obtain further information about choosing a private career school, to find out if a particular school is licensed, or to see if complaints have been filed against a school, contact the Education Department’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision by clicking on: www.highered.nysed.gov/bpss or calling (212) 643-4760 or (518) 474-3969.

Complaints about a proprietary school may be lodged with SED or CPB via their respective websites.