Today’s Letter Represents Seventh Consecutive Year Senator Durbin Has Taken Message About Risks Of For-Profit Colleges Directly To Illinois Education Professionals
SPRINGFIELD – With high school seniors weighing options about their educational futures during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is enlisting the help of Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks associated with attending for-profit colleges. For-profit colleges enroll only eight percent of post-secondary students, but they account for 33 percent of all federal student loan defaults. In today’s letter, Durbin said for-profit colleges have, “proven themselves to be a direct threat,” to Illinois educators’ efforts to prepare students for better opportunities through education.
“For-profit college enrollment skyrocketed during the Great Recession as those out of work turned to flexible, online options afforded by for-profit colleges for new opportunities… It was an era of widespread fraud and abuse by for-profit colleges – reaping huge profits for owners and investors and leaving students with worthless degrees that employers didn’t recognize and mountains of debt,” Durbin wrote. “And we’re already seeing signs that the industry is ramping up for a repeat – especially as online options are even more appealing in a time of social distancing.”
Durbin continued, “You have dedicated your life to preparing Illinois students for better opportunities through education. For-profit colleges have proven themselves to be a direct threat to your efforts. For an Illinois student, getting the right information from the right person can mean the difference between a successful future and a lifetime of student debt.”
This is the seventh consecutive year that Durbin has written to Illinois educators and school leaders regarding the risks of predatory for-profits. Organizations helping to distribute today’s letter include American Federation of Teachers, Illinois Federation of Teachers, National Association for College Admission Counseling, Illinois Principals Association, Illinois Community College Trustees Association, Illinois Education Association, and National Education Association.
“Especially during these uncertain times, educators are a trusted source of information. Illinois’s principals take this job seriously, including sharing quality options to students for post-secondary education such as Illinois community colleges, universities, and not-for-profit institutions. We support Senator Durbin’s efforts to help students and families understand the financial risks associated with for-profit institutions and appreciate his continued interest in this issue,” said Dr. Jason Leahy, Executive Director of the Illinois Principals Association.
Full text of the letter is available here and below: