In June 2021, Student Defense released The Growing Missing Billion, a landmark report documenting how the U.S. Department of Education, in recent years, has allowed institutions of higher education to walk away from more than $1 billion in debts owed to taxpayers. Newly uncovered evidence established as part of Student Defense’s ongoing investigation establishes that the problem has gotten far worse. And with the Government Accountability Office having estimated the cost of the student loan program over the last twenty-five years to be approaching $200 billion, it is incumbent on the Department to hold accountable those responsible for substantial losses.
When a school closes, some student borrowers become eligible to have their student loans discharged. The Department assesses school liabilities equal to the loan funds discharged. The Department may also assess liabilities against schools as an enforcement mechanism where schools fail to comply with Title IV eligibility requirements. See generally 34 C.F.R § 668.13.
FOIA Requests
- Unpaid Liabilities - June 23, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - May 25, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - April 18, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - March 20, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - February 13, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - January 9, 2023
- Unpaid Liabilities - December 23, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - November 3, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - October 5, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - September 8, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - August 2, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - July 7, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - May 5, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - April 19, 2022
- Unpaid Liabilities - March 4, 2022
Unpaid Liabilities - October 5, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of September 30, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - September 8, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities, and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of August 31, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - August 2, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of July 31, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - July 7, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of June 30, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - May 5, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed as of April 30, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - April 19, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of March 31, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below:
Unpaid Liabilities - March 4, 2022
Seeking: A complete listing of all institutions with unpaid liabilities stemming from closures or compliance and enforcement actions; the amount of those liabilities; and the date on which the liabilities were assessed, as of February 28, 2022.
Documents
The Department initially failed to produce any documents responsive to this request, as required by law. After Student Defense sued the Department in federal court, the Department provided two sets of responsive documents. Those documents are available below: