Classes at Florida Coastal School of Law could end in about five weeks unless the U.S. Department of Education grants an appeal submitted after its denial of the school’s continued access to the Title IV federal student loan program.
Florida Coastal President and Dean Peter Goplerud said July 1 the school is operating under a teach-out plan approved by the American Bar Association that was automatically triggered when the student loan program access was denied.
The teach-out plan facilitates students transferring to other law schools or completing their law degree as a visiting student at another law school.
The Gombos | Leyton law firm in Fairfax, Virginia, representing Florida Coastal, filed the appeal May 24.
The document disputes the government’s conclusions that Florida Coastal failed to meet financial responsibility, fiduciary and other standards required for participation in federal student loan programs.
“The Decision is factually deficient and shot through with errors and faulty assumptions. As such, it cannot withstand judicial scrutiny. Although we hope that the Department will rescind the Decision, FCSL is committed to protecting its rights and will seek judicial review of the Decision if compelled to do so,” the appeal states.
“We’re not done yet. We feel as though we filed a strong appeal,” Goplerud said.
A May 13 news release announcing that Florida Coastal’s participation in the federal student loan program was terminated includes:
“The action delivers on President Biden’s commitment to stop for-profit education programs from profiteering off students and comes as U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and new FSA chief Richard Cordray are stressing that for-profit schools will be held accountable for meeting the standards for participation in the Department’s Title IV programs.”
Goplerud said if the teach-out plan continues, about 135 active students and 15 faculty and staff members would be affected. Final exams in the summer term are scheduled July 30 and the law school would close in early August.
Florida Coastal’s ABA accreditation would continue until July 1, 2023, to allow currently enrolled students to receive credits earned as transient students at other ABA-approved law schools.
Florida Coastal recently graduated 22 students who are eligible to sit for the Florida Bar exam July 27-28, Goplerud said.