08.10.20

Chairman Scott Asks Department of Education Watchdog to Investigate Department Role in Dream Center Misconduct

WASHINGTON – Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) sent a letter to the Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting an investigation into the Department’s role in the misconduct of Dream Center Education Holdings, a for-profit higher education company that actively defrauded students and taxpayers.

The request follows a report released by the Committee on Education and Labor, which indicates that Under Secretary Diane Auer Jones – a former for-profit education lobbyist – worked extensively on behalf of Dream Center despite knowing that two of its schools had lost their accreditation and were improperly receiving taxpayer funding.

The report further revealed discrepancies between Under Secretary Jones’ statements to Congress and emails, text messages, and other documents uncovered during the Committee’s investigation.

“The facts outlined in the enclosed report demonstrate that the Department knew Dream Center was unaccredited in early February 2018, and that its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission specifically informed the Department’s Accreditation Group in May 2018 that Dream Center misrepresented this fact to students,” Chairman Scott wrote“Accordingly, the Committee requests that the Department’s Office of Inspector General investigate the Department’s coordination with Dream Center and the Department’s subsequent investigation into HLC.”

To read the full letter, click here.

To read the Committee report, click here.

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