Commissioners
The Education Licensure
Commission consists of five citizen members, each appointed by the
Mayor for no more than two consecutive three-year terms. Annually,
the members elect the officers of the Commission. This year, the
Commissioners are Dr. Michael Gould, Mr.
Edward Fisher, Dr. James Charles Herbert, Mr. Rustin Lewis, and Mr. Steven Pappas.
Complaint Form
To file a complaint, use
the Public Complaint Form and follow the procedures below.
Functions
The Commission licenses,
approves, or oversees all private postsecondary educational
institutions in the District of Columbia. The basic functions of the
Commission are to:
- License private degree-granting educational institutions
operating in and/or incorporated in the District of Columbia
- Serve as the State Approving Agency for educational programs
for veterans to attend with their benefits under an annual
contract with the US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Maintain the student records of institutions which close and
have no other depository, and issue certified copies of those
records to institutions and former students, upon request
- License private, non-degree postsecondary schools and their
agents
- Grant conditional exemptions from licensure to
Semester-in-Washington-type programs and programs offered by
employers at no cost to the employee, provided that certain
conditions are met, including accreditation and annual reports to
the Commission
Legal Authorities
The basic functions
and authorities of the Commission are established by the Education
Licensure Commission Act of 1976, DC Law 1-104, as amended, which is
codified as Title 31, Chapter 16 of the DC Code (1981 ed.). The
Commission administers this law, as well as a 1901 statute codified
as Title 29, Chapter 8 of the DC Code, regulations for
degree-granting institutions and non-degree postsecondary schools,
and certain regulations of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Location
Education Licensing Commission
941 North Capitol Street, NE,
Suite 7200
Telephone Number: (202)
442-4343 or (202) 442-4465
Meetings
The Commission takes formal
licensing and approval actions at its Public Sessions, which are
scheduled to occur monthly, every fourth Thursday, except during its
recess in August. The meeting schedule is published in the District
of Columbia Register.
Regulations for Degree Granting Schools
As a public service, the DCRA provides the regulation document
that relates to those educational institutions in the District which
provide credit toward a college degree.
Scope
Currently, there are 28 licensed
degree-granting institutions. There are 39 licensed non-degree
postsecondary schools and an undetermined number of agents of such
schools. There are three institutions subject to conditional
exemption, including eight federally chartered institutions. The
Commission maintains 63,929 student records from 15 closed schools
from which 200 to 300 transcripts are issued annually.
Education Licensing Commission
941 North Capitol Street,
NE
Suite 7200
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 442-4343 or
(202) 442-4465
Staff Support
Under the auspices of the
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), the Commission
is supported by a staff of two employees who are responsible for
professional and technical support to the Commission.
