The administration wants to allow states to enforce all their applicable laws and regulations on online colleges, regardless of whether the institution is part of a state authorization reciprocity agreement to provide distance education. Currently, reciprocity agreements allow colleges to enroll out-of-state students online while bypassing some laws in the states where the students are located. For example, an institution headquartered in Colorado has to adhere to Colorado laws—but it can enroll students in New York without having to get that state’s permission or follow most of its regulations. Online educators say the current reciprocity agreements, which cover more than 2,200 institutions and more than 1.5 million students, would become unworkable if the administration’s proposals become policy.
