Owens Pushes to Remove Barriers and Expand Access to Education
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) introduced the Ensuring Distance Education Act to remove arbitrary restrictions in the Higher Education Act, ensuring that colleges and universities are able to meet the growing demand for flexible, high-quality education.
Specifically, the legislation tackles the 90/10 rule, an outdated regulation that unfairly excludes revenue from distance education programs—whether fully online or in hybrid formats—from counting toward the non-federal revenue requirement. By modernizing this rule, the Ensuring Distance Education Act ensures that for-profit institutions can better meet the growing demand for flexible learning options, giving students the opportunity to pursue their education on their own terms and thrive in today’s economy.
“The Ensuring Distance Education Act modernizes our education system and puts students first,” said Rep. Owens. “Distance learning—whether online, in-person, or hybrid—has become a lifeline for millions of hardworking Americans. Unfortunately, the outdated 90/10 rule prevents these essential programs from counting toward non-federal revenue, making it harder for for-profit colleges to offer the flexible distance learning options students need. This bill removes those barriers, ensuring students can access the education they need to succeed.”
Background:
- The 90/10 rule places restrictions on what constitutes non-Federal revenue applicable to the 10%, including the exclusion of distance education programs, even for programs that are only partially online. This limits career-education institutions’ ability to expand distance education offerings in a growing market.
- The Ensuring Distance Education Act amends the Higher Education Act, enabling revenue from distance education programs to contribute to the non-Federal portion of the 90/10 rule.
- This modernization addresses the rising demand for distance education, empowering for-profit institutions to meet this demand effectively.
The full text of the legislation is available here.
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