Owens Pushes to Remove Barriers and Expand Access to Education

<p><strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. </strong>— Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) introduced the <a href="https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/owens.house.gov/uploads/2025/02/Ensuring-Distance-Education-Act.pdf">Ensuring Distance Education Act</a> to remove arbitrary restrictions in the Higher Education Act, ensuring that colleges and universities are able to meet the growing demand for flexible, high-quality education.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Specifically, the legislation tackles the 90/10 rule, an outdated regulation that unfairly excludes revenue from distance education programs—whether fully online or in hybrid formats—from counting toward the non-federal revenue requirement. By modernizing this rule, the Ensuring Distance Education Act ensures that for-profit institutions can better meet the growing demand for flexible learning options, giving students the opportunity to pursue their education on their own terms and thrive in today’s economy.</p>

<p><em>&#8220;The Ensuring Distance Education Act modernizes our education system and puts students first,&#8221;</em> <strong>said Rep. Owens.</strong><em> &#8220;Distance learning—whether online, in-person, or hybrid—has become a lifeline for millions of hardworking Americans. Unfortunately, the outdated 90/10 rule prevents these essential programs from counting toward non-federal revenue, making it harder for for-profit colleges to offer the flexible distance learning options students need. This bill removes those barriers, ensuring students can access the education they need to succeed.&#8221;</em></p>

<p>Background:&nbsp;</p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The 90/10 rule places restrictions on what constitutes non-Federal revenue applicable to the 10%, including the exclusion of distance education programs, even for programs that are only partially online. This limits career-education institutions’ ability to expand distance education offerings in a growing market. </li>

<li>The Ensuring Distance Education Act amends the Higher Education Act, enabling revenue from distance education programs to contribute to the non-Federal portion of the 90/10 rule.</li>

<li>This modernization addresses the rising demand for distance education, empowering for-profit institutions to meet this demand effectively.</li>
</ul>

<p>The full text of the legislation is available <a href="https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/owens.house.gov/uploads/2025/02/Ensuring-Distance-Education-Act.pdf">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/03/12/representative-burgess-owens-hopes-to-modernize-funding-policies-at-for-profit-colleges/"><strong>DESERET NEWS: How Rep. Burgess Owens hopes to ‘modernize’ distance education funding policies at for-profit colleges</strong></a></p>

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