State Authorization

NC-SARA Annual Report Submitted​The Office of Institutional Research and Planning, in partnership with the state authorization team, submitted Ohio State's annual report to the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) this month. The required report shows the number of Ohio State online students located in each state during the 2017 academic year.

Ohio State also submitted optional information on the location of students participating in on-ground placements, such as internships and clinical experiences, outside Ohio. Reporting this placement information will be mandatory in 2019. SARA participation allows Ohio State to offer distance education in all 49 SARA states as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Additional authorization may be required for licensure program activities and placements of more than 10 students at a placement site in a SARA state. 

Other State Authorization NewsComments on Proposed Federal Rule Delay 

Last month the state authorization team reported that the U.S. Department of Education proposed delaying the effective date of the federal state authorization regulation and amending the rule through negotiated rulemaking.

Since then, the Department published the rationale for the delay in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and requested public comment. The notice explained that the delay is necessary to address concerns raised by regulated parties. Because the concerns are too substantial to be addressed through Department guidance, the delay will allow time to make changes through negotiated rulemaking. Lisa Siefker, state authorization program manager, submitted comments as an individual in support of the proposed delay.

MA and PR Join SARAPuerto Rico became a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) member territory on June 6 and Massachusetts became the 49th state to join SARA on June 7. This means Ohio State can offer educational activities in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico in line with SARA policies. Additional authorization may be required for licensure program activities and placements of more than ten students at a placement site in a SARA state.

As always, thank you for your support. Feel free to contact us with any state authorization questions! 

Lisa Siefker & Casey Hammond
State Authorization Team
Office of Distance Education & eLearning
ODEE-stateauth@osu.edu | odee.osu.edu | @OhioStateIT