Comment on FR Doc # 2013-11287

RE: Docket ID ED-2012-OPE-0008 Please strengthen rules to protect students and taxpayers! Ensure a strong gainful employment rule to prevent career education programs receiving federal funds from consistently leaving students with debts they cannot repay. Recent data, research, and federal and state investigations have provided even more evidence of fraudulent conduct, sky high tuitions, and bad student outcomes, reinforcing the urgent need for a strong rule. It is essential that the rule end funding for the worst programs and require poorly performing programs to improve to keep receiving federal funds. Prevent schools from evading other laws designed to protect students and taxpayers, such as the laws barring funding to schools that have high student loan default rates or receive more than 90% of their revenue from federal student aid. A recent Senate investigation and media reports have shown that some for-profit education companies are using multiple strategies to try to evade these laws. Provide relief for students who are deceived or defrauded by schools. For example, relief should be available if a career education program lacks the type of accreditation required for its students to work in the field they're preparing for, or it fails to provide adequate preparation, or if a school enrolls students who do not speak English in programs taught only in English. In these and other circumstances, the relevant student loans should be discharged. The Department already has the authority to recover the costs of such discharges from schools so that taxpayers do not have to pay for them. Students and taxpayers cannot afford to wait for protection from waste, fraud, and abuse.