Congressman wants to ensure quality of Internet-based education programs

      The bill, the Independent Study of Distance Education Act of 2007 (H.R. 412), requires that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) conduct a scientifically correct, statistically valid study of the quality of distance education programs as compared to campus-based programs. This legislation is virtually identical to language introduced by Ehlers approved by the House in 2005, but which was eliminated in negotiation with the Senate.

      “I am not against distance education. In fact, as a K-12 student, I completed correspondence courses by distance,” said Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids. “But, before we spend more federal dollars on this, we need to know more about the quality of distance education programs, as compared to campus-based programs.”

      During the 1992 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Congress passed a rule to counter fraud and abuse perpetuated by diploma mills and some correspondence programs in the 1980s. This rule, known as the “50-percent rule,” prevents any college or university that enrolls more than 50 percent of its students in distance education or provides more than half of its courses via distance education from participating in federal financial aid programs.

      During the 1998 reauthorization, Congress recognized that, with changes in technology, schools are increasingly offering courses via distance education through the Internet. The Distance Education Demonstration Program was established to examine the quality and viability of expanding distance education programs. This program allowed 24 colleges and universities to waive several program requirements for participating in the federal financial aid programs, including the 50-percent rule, in exchange for participating in studies by the Secretary of Education.

      Through three of these studies, the Secretary found that the “mode of distance education delivery does not appear to be a salient factor in student outcomes.” However, in 2004, the Office of the Inspector General found that the Secretary’s conclusions about the impact of distance education methods on student learning was unsupported, fostering uncertainty about the quality of distance education programs as compared to the quality of campus-based programs.

      “As a scientist, I strive to base my policy decisions and voting on reliable studies and data,” Ehlers said. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the Higher Education Act and distance education, there is no scientifically correct, statistically valid study of the quality of online distance education programs compared to campus-based programs. That’s why I have proposed this bill.”