Proposal would create online higher ed common market, set baseline consumer protections

By Associated Press. A proposed compact among the states unveiled by educational organizations and state officials Thursday would create a kind of common market for online education and make it easier for institutions to enroll students anywhere in the country. The proposal would also set some uniform consumer protections, which could give students in some states more recourse to complain to regulators, though it could weaken state oversight in places that already have strict rules. Nearly 7 million U.S. students are currently accessing college courses online, but the regulations that authorize the universities and companies that provide those courses to operate vary from state to state. Read more...