Adams Gets Relief for Charlotte School of Law Students

Charlotte, N.C.—Today, following a letter she sent to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on October 26, 2017, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) announced that the U.S. Department of Education has granted the students of the now closed, Charlotte School of Law expanded eligibility for a closed school loan discharge.

"Following the closing of the Charlotte School of Law, many students were left with massive student loan debt and no degree to show for it," said Congresswoman Adams. "I am pleased that Secretary DeVos heeded my call for extended eligibility for loan forgiveness to give students the relief they deserve. I am, however, disappointed that Secretary DeVos did not use her authority to discharge the loans of these defrauded students without submission of an application. Final approval of an application for discharge can take months, causing these students to waste more time and resources while they wait. I ask Secretary DeVos to take immediate action to put students first."

This expanded eligibility will allow students who withdrew from the school on or after December 31, 2016 to apply for a closed school discharge. Typically, students who were enrolled when a school closes or withdrew not more than 120 days before the school closed can have their federal student loans from that school forgiven if they meet certain requirements. That 120-day window can be extended for exceptional circumstances. The extension will allow nearly a dozen additional students and nearly 300 total student borrowers eligibility to have their federal loans forgiven. The Department of Education will notify impacted students via written communication about how to apply for a school close discharge.

Additionally, in her October letter, Congresswoman Adams requested Secretary DeVos discharge the loans of all Charlotte School of Law students without submission of an application due to the school's well documented failure to maintain a license to operate. Secretary DeVos failed to address that ask in her announcement today.