Florida Coastal Law School

For-Profit Law School In Trouble With Dept. of Education

Florida Coastal School of Law has lost access to federal student financial aid.

The U.S. Department of Education officially terminated the law school’s Title IV eligibility earlier this month. The for-profit law school has been directed to file a teach-out plan with the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the ABA Journal reports.

“We are working diligently with the Department of Education to secure reinstatement of our participation in the Title IV program,” Peter Goplerud, the law school’s president and dean, tells the ABA Journal.

TEACH OUT PLAN

Under rule 29 of the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools, law schools that are hit with an emergency action by the DOE are required to address teach out plans.

The ABA section’s council plans to review Florida Coastal’s teach out plan later this month.

“The action by DOE is a separate action that could ultimately have a bearing on the accreditation process. The council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, which is recognized by DOE as the national accreditor of law schools, will continue to work with the department and Florida Coastal School of Law to ensure a fair process and a fair outcome for all stakeholders,” Bill Adams, managing director of ABA accreditation and legal education, tells the ABA Journal.

PAST ISSUES

This isn’t the first time Florida Coastal has run into issues with the DOE and ABA.

In 2019, the law school failed to meet DOE fiscal responsibility standards. Most recently, the law school also went through a three-year investigation over compliance around ABA accreditation standards. Florida Coastal was found to be in full compliance with standards last year.

Sources: ABA Journal, ABA, TaxProf Blog