Wash. Admin. Code § 308-20-573

Current through Register Vol. 24-23, December 1, 2024

Section 308-20-573 - School catalog, enrollment agreement/contract and cancellation and refund policy minimum requirements

(1) Each school must publish a catalog that explains its operations and requirements. The catalog must be current, comprehensive, and accurate. The school must provide the following, in some combination of a catalog, brochure, or otherwise written material and disclose that information to each prospective student prior to completing an enrollment agreement. The catalog must include at least the following:

(a) Date of publication;

(b) Names, physical and mailing addresses, and telephone numbers of the school's administrative offices and all supplemental training spaces;

(c) Names and qualifications of faculty. The list must be accurate as of the date of catalog publication. Any changes in faculty must be noted on a catalog correction sheet;

(d) The school calendar, including hours of operation, holidays, courses, or programs as may be appropriate;

(e) Admissions procedures, including policies describing all prerequisites needed by entering students to successfully complete the programs of study in which they are enrolled;

(f) A description of the job placement assistance offered, if any. If no assistance is offered, the school must make that fact known;

(g) The school's policy regarding student conduct, including causes for dismissal and conditions for readmission;

(h) The school's grievance policy. The policy must be preceded by "Nothing in this policy prevents the student from contacting the Department of Licensing at any time with a concern or a complaint.";

(i) The school's policy regarding leave, absences, makeup work (if applicable), and tardiness;

(j) The school's policy regarding standards of progress required for the student;

(k) An accurate description of the school's facilities and equipment available for student use, and the student/teacher ratio;

(l) The total cost of training including registration fee if any, tuition, books, supplies, equipment, and all other charges and expenses necessary;

(m) A description of each program of instruction, including:

(i) Specific program objectives including the job titles for which the program purports to train;

(ii) The number of clock hours of instruction, the method of instruction (e.g., correspondence, classroom, lab, computer assisted), and the average length of time required for successful completion;

(iii) For schools offering online training, instructional sequences must be described in numbers of lessons.

(n) The scope and sequence of courses or programs required to achieve the educational objective;

(o) A statement indicating the type of educational credential that is awarded upon successful completion;

(p) The school's cancellation and refund policy;

(q) The following statement must appear prominently on either the first or last printed page or inside the front or back cover: "This school is licensed under chapter 18.16 RCW. Inquiries, concerns, or complaints regarding this school can be made to the Department of Licensing, (insert mailing address, email or by telephone).";

(r) The availability of financing, if any; and

(s) Supplements or correction sheets for the catalog and other written materials related to enrollment must be filed with the department prior to being used;

(i) The supplement or correction sheet must include its publication date;

(ii) In the event information on a supplement or correction sheet replaces information contained in the catalog, the insert must identify the information it replaces.

(2) An enrollment agreement/contract is any agreement that creates a binding obligation to purchase a course of instruction from a school. Each school must use an enrollment contract or agreement that includes:

(a) The school's cancellation and refund policy, in accordance with chapter 308-20 WAC.

(b) The following statement: This school is licensed under chapter 18.16 RCW. Inquiries, concerns, or complaints regarding this school can be made to the department of licensing, (insert mailing address, email or by telephone).

(c) Information that will clearly and completely define the terms of the agreement between the student and the school. The enrollment agreement must include at least the following:

(i) The name and address of the school and the student;

(ii) The program or course title as it appears in the school's catalog, date training is to begin, and the number of hours or units of instruction or lessons for which the student is enrolled;

(iii) Language explaining that the agreement will be binding only when it has been signed and dated by the student and an authorized representative of the school prior to the time instruction begins; and

(iv) A statement that any changes in the agreement will not be binding on either party unless such changes have been acknowledged in writing by an authorized representative of the school and by the student or the student's parent or guardian if he/she is a minor.

(d) The school must provide all students with a copy of the signed enrollment agreement, and any other documents related to their enrollment.

(3) The official date of termination or withdrawal of a student shall be determined in the following manner:

(a) The date on which the school recorded the student's last day of attendance;

(b) The date on which the student is terminated for a violation of a published school policy which provides for termination.

(4) Tuition/registration fees may be collected in advance of a student signing an enrollment agreement; however, all moneys paid by the student shall be refunded if the student does not sign an enrollment agreement and does not commence participation in the program.

(a) The school must refund all money paid if the applicant is not accepted. This includes instances where a starting class is canceled by the school;

(b) For discontinued programs: If instruction in any program is discontinued after training has begun or if the school moves from one location to another, it must either:

(i) Provide students pro rata refunds of all tuition and fees paid; or

(ii) If the school plans to discontinue a program, it must notify the department and affected students in advance in writing at a minimum of thirty days notice.

Wash. Admin. Code § 308-20-573

Adopted by WSR 17-19-049, Filed 9/12/2017, effective 10/13/2017

Amended by WSR 20-21-002, Filed 10/8/2020, effective 11/8/2020