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Ashworth College (www.ashworthcollege.edu), a leading provider of accredited, online educational programs, announced that it has been approved for membership with The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) in the state of Georgia.
SARA (www.nc-sara.org) is a national initiative that makes distance education courses more accessible to students across state lines, as well as making it easier for states to regulate and institutions to participate in interstate distance education. The effort is funded by a $3 million grant from Lumina Foundation, $200,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and fees paid by institutions.
Membership in SARA centralizes the authorization process for institutions in a single state to be able to offer their distance education courses across state lines in any of SARA’s 40 member states. The initiative was developed with input from the U.S. Department of Education as well as a broad advisory committee, regional higher education compacts, state education executives and regulators, accrediting organizations, and representatives of all sectors of higher education.
“Ashworth’s approval by Georgia NPEC to participate in SARA ensures student access to the online educational programs offered by Ashworth. It eliminates the requirement for the College to file multiple applications with various state agencies in order to ensure students in a state have access to Ashworth’s programs,” says Bill Kakish, Ashworth’s Chief Academic Officer.
As a SARA member school, Ashworth programs approved and authorized by the state of Georgia can be offered to all students in other SARA member states without seeking additional authorization in those states. Membership in SARA benefits Ashworth’s students in many other ways, including dispute resolution and an overall improvement in the quality of online education made available to them.
Ashworth’s President, Rob Klapper says, “We are thrilled to have Ashworth approved as a SARA school. Our SARA membership will benefit our students by expanding the access to our educational offerings. It also enhances the quality of our distance education programs with an additional level of compliance and oversight which will result in continued improvement in our curriculum and student outcomes.”
About SARA
The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. The initiative is administered by the country’s four regional higher education compacts (MHEC, NEBHE, SREB and WICHE) and is overseen by NC-SARA. Participating states and institutions operate under common standards and procedures, providing a uniform and less costly regulatory environment for institutions, more focused oversight responsibilities for states and better resolution of student complaints. More information can be found at https://www.nc-sara.org/.About Ashworth College
Ashworth College is an accredited institution providing effective, affordable and flexible online career-focused education opportunities. Ashworth offers its students worldwide more than 125 online career and degree programs that fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. For more information, visit https://www.ashworthcollege.edu.
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