CaliforniaCalifornia tightens oversight of private colleges and career schools
Private colleges and career schools must meet expanded reporting and accreditation rules, while more students may qualify for tuition-recovery payments.
What it does
Private schools must report more serious oversight, financial, criminal, and legal events to the state. Missing a report could put the school’s approval at risk.
Schools offering degrees face broader accreditation rules and limits on provisional programs. They must meet accreditation milestones or lose approval to enroll new degree students.
More students may qualify for help from the Student Tuition Recovery Fund after school closures, unpaid refunds, loan problems, or unlawful conduct, subject to eligibility rules.
Argument forStudents could receive help in more situations, including unpaid refunds, failed teach-outs, certain loan losses, and awards they cannot collect from a school.
Argument againstSchools may face heavier reporting and accreditation duties, and missed deadlines could lead to probation, suspension, or loss of approval.
More detail
Private schools must report more investigations, legal actions, bankruptcies, felony charges, and certain civil cases to the bureau. The reporting rules cover institutions approved to operate under the California Private Postsecondary Education Act and the events listed in the law. Most reports are due within 30 days, while reports of certain civil actions are due within 60 days. Missing a required report is a material violation that may lead to a citation, probation, suspension, or loss of approval. The bureau may request additional information when reviewing a report or complaint. Reports are due within 30 or 60 days of the listed event or the school learning about it, as specified; the director must give the Legislature yearly updates.
Degree-granting schools must meet broader accreditation and provisional-approval rules before and while offering degree programs. The rules cover schools seeking or holding bureau approval for degree programs, including schools that are not yet accredited. Accreditation must cover every degree program offered by the institution. A school seeking provisional approval may offer no more than two degree programs, and students on visas may not exceed 25% of enrollment in any provisionally approved degree program. Students must be told that provisional approval depends on later accreditation. A school may request extra time if it shows strong progress toward accreditation. A school must show accreditation candidacy or preaccreditation within two years and full accreditation within five years of provisional approval; the bureau may use a visiting committee during the first four years.
The Student Tuition Recovery Fund may pay more types of student losses and may consider a wider range of evidence when deciding claims. The fund covers eligible students connected to covered private schools, including some California students at Corinthian Colleges and students affected by closures, discontinued programs, unpaid refunds, or unlawful conduct. Eligibility still depends on the student’s circumstances, economic loss, and other statutory requirements. The fund may cover certain unpaid awards, loan-related losses, third-party payments, and up to $500 in legal services tied to qualifying loan cancellations. Students generally must apply within four years of the event that made them eligible, except for certain revived loans. The four-year filing period starts on the action that made the student eligible; a student whose loan is later revived may apply at any time for that otherwise eligible debt.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 217, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 67. Noes 4. Page 6591.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2771 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2771 Berman By Wahab. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 29From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Education]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 25From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.Major
- May 27Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and ED.Minor
- May 14In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2771 Business and Professions Assembly Third Reading By BERMAN. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 5052.)Passed Assembly
- May 7Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 6From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.Minor
- Apr 14
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Business and Professions]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.Minor
- Apr 7From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 26Re-referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and B. & P. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.Minor
- Mar 16Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and HIGHER ED.Minor
- Feb 24From printer. May be heard in committee March 26.
- Feb 23Read first time. To print.Introduced
EducationConsumer ProtectionGovernment & Ethics