The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions offering distance education to students outside the institution’s home state to be authorized in the students’ state of residence.
Illinois is a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) state. SARA is a voluntary organization that makes it easier for students to take distance education courses from institutions in other states by establishing standards that member institutions agree to follow. College of DuPage joined SARA in 2018.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Please note California is not a SARA state, therefore College of DuPage is not authorized to provide distance education to California residents.
SARA Complaint Process
College of DuPage is committed to serving all students fairly and has policies in place to facilitate timely and positive resolutions to student concerns. If you have an issue with a course you are taking at COD, view the Student Grievance Policy and Procedure.
If you are an online student and feel that your complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved through College of DuPage's grievance process, you may contact the Illinois Community College Board, which can address a complaint on the student's behalf. Out-of-state students taking online courses through College of DuPage should attempt to resolve issues with the College first. If a resolution cannot be found, students can file a complaint with their state agency.
Alabama
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
P.O. Box 302000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
(334) 242-1998
Alabama Community College System
135 South Union St.
Montgomery, AL 36104-4340
(334) 293-4500
Alabama Office of the Secretary of the State
P.O. Box 5616
Montgomery, AL 36103-5616
(334) 242-7221
Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
(800) 441-2962
ACPE@alaska.gov
Alaska Department of Law Consumer Protection Unit
1031 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 465-3600
attorney.general@alaska.gov
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W. Washington St., Room 260
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 542-5709
Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Education Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
423 Main St., Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 371-2000
ADHE_Info@adhe.edu
Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
501 Woodlane, Suite 104
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 683-8050
sbpce@arkansas.gov
Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 862-3001
Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 862-3001
Connecticut
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
61 Woodland St.
Hartford, CT 06105-2326
(860) 947-1800
edinfo@ctohe.org
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106-1630
(860) 713-6300
Consumer Complaint Hotline: (800) 842-2649
trade.practices@ct.gov
Delaware
Delaware Higher Education Office
The Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901
ihe@doe.k12.de.us
Delaware Attorney General
Delaware Department of Justice
Carvel State Building
820 N. French St., Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-8600
consumer.protection@state.de.us
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Education Licensure Commission
810 First Street, NE, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 727-6436
osse@dc.gov
Florida Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines St, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
(850) 245-3200
Commissioner@fldoe.org
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl., Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084-5334
(770) 414-3300
Hawaii
Hawaii Post-secondary Education Authorization Program
(808) 586-7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov
State of Hawaii Board of Education
P.O. Box 2360
Honolulu Hawaii 96804
(808) 586-3334
boe_hawaii@notes.k12.hi.us
State of Hawaii Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
King Kalakaua Building
335 Merchant Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
(808) 587-3222
ocp@dcca.hawaii.gov
Idaho State Board of Education
Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
650 West State Street
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
(208) 334-2270
board@osbe.idaho.gov
Illinois
Illinois Community College Board
401 East Capitol Avenue
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1711
(217) 557-2741
studentcomplaints@iccb.state.il.us
Illinois Board of Higher Education
431 East Adams, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62701-1404
Institutional Complaint Hotline: (217) 557-7359
info@ibhe.org
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. 1st St.
Springfield, IL 62777
(866) 262-6663
Illinois Attorney General
Consumer Fraud Bureau
500 South Second Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Consumer Fraud Hotline: (800) 243-0618
Indiana
Indiana Board for Proprietary Education
Attn: Director of Regulatory Compliance
302 W Washington Street, Room E201
Indianapolis IN 46204
(317) 232-1033
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio St., Suite 550
Indianapolis, IN 42604-1984
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
430 East Grand Ave., Floor 3
Des Moines, IA 50309-1920
(515) 725-3400
info@iowacollegeaid.gov
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-3421
(785) 296-3421
Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 573-1555
Kentucky Office of the Attorney General
700 Capital Avenue, Suite 118
Frankfort, KY 40601-3449
Consumer Protection Hotline: (888) 432-9257
Louisiana Board of Regents
1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-4253
Maine Department of Education
Office of Higher Education Services
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
(207) 624-6600
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 767-3301
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 994-6950
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
P.O. Box 30004
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-1820
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
(651) 642-0567
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
(601) 432-6372
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
(573) 751-2361
info@dhe.mo.gov
Montana Board of Regents
2500 Broadway Street
P.O. Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
(406) 444-6570
mgslpcustserv@montana.edu
Nebraska
Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
140 N. 8th Street, Suite 300
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 471-2847
Nebraska Office of the Attorney General
2115 State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2683
ago.consumer@nebraska.gov
Nevada
Nevada System of Higher Education
4300 S. Maryland Pkwy.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 889-8426
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
8778 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 115
Las Vegas, Nevada 89123
(702) 486-7330
New Hampshire Department of Education Division of Higher Education
101 Pleasant St.
Concord, NH 03301-3494
(630) 271-3494
State of New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
20 West State St., 4th Floor
P.O. Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
(609) 292-4310
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2044 Galisteo St.
Santa Fe, NM 87505
New York Office of Higher Education
Education Building Annex, Room 977
Albany, NY 12234
North Carolina Community College System, Office of Proprietary
School Services
200 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 807-7100
North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education
State Capitol, 15th Floor
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 270
Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
(701) 328-3180
cte@nd.gov
Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-6000
hotline@highered.ohio.gov
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
30 East Broad Street, Suite 2481
Columbus, OH 43215
(641) 466-2752
bpsr@scr.state.oh.us
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
(405) 225-9100
Oregon
Higher Education Coordinating Commission
255 Capitol Street NE, Third Floor
Salem, OR 97310
Info.HECC@state.or.us
Oregon Office of Student Access and Completion
1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 687-7400
Office of Private Postsecondary Education
775 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 947-5716
info.PPS@state.or.us
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market St.
Harrisburg, PA 17126
(717) 783-8445
Puerto Rico Council on Education
Ave. Ponce dr Leon 268
Edificio Hato Rey Center, Piso 15
Hato Rey, PR 00918
(787) 641-7100
Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
Shepard Building
80 Washington St.
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 456-6000
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady St., Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 737-2260
South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents
306 E Capitol Ave., Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3455
info@sdbor.edu
South Dakota Office of the Attorney General
1302 E Hwy 14, Suite 1
Pierre SD 57501-8501
(605) 773-3215
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
(615) 741-3605
Texas
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1200 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
or
P.O. Box 12788
Austin, TX 78711
(512) 427-6101
Texas Workforce Commission
101 E 15th St, Rm 665
Austin, TX 78778-0001
(512) 936-3100
career.schools@twc.state.tx.us
Utah
Utah System of Higher Education
Board of Regents Building
60 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
(800) 418-8757
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 530-6601
Vermont Agency of Education
219 North Main Street, Suite 402
Barre, VT 05641
(802) 479-1030
AOE.EdIngo@vermont.gov
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
James Monroe Building
101 N 14th St., 10th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 225-2600
Washington
Washington Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
P.O. Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
(360) 709-4600
workforce@wtb.wa.gov
Washington Student Achievement Council
917 Lakeridge Way SW
Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 753-7800
info@wsac.wa.gov
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Boulevard East, Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 558-2101
jtice@hepc.wvnet.edu
Wisconsin Educational Approval Program
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
(608) 264-8477
Wyoming
Wyoming Community College Commission
2300 Capitol Ave., 5th Fl, Ste B
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7763
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-2060
(307) 777-6210