Judge Rejects Education Department’s Appeal in Gainful-Employment Case

A federal judge has rejected the U.S. Department of Education’s motion to amend an earlier ruling that invalidated several provisions of the controversial “gainful employment” rule, which the agency issued in 2011 in order to ensure that vocational programs prepare students for good jobs.

Under the rule, vocational programs that failed to meet certain benchmarks could become ineligible to receive federal student aid.

In a ruling issued on Tuesday, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., rejected the department’s attempt to reinstate certain provisions of the rule that he struck down last summer. His decision handed a victory to the main trade group representing for-profit colleges, which had challenged the rule.

For more, see this Chronicle article.