HLC has a responsibility to students and the public to ensure that there are arrangements in place to assist students in the event that an institution ceases operations, whether temporarily or permanently, or takes any other step that triggers teach-out requirements articulated in HLC policy. All institutions are required to review HLC policy related to teach out.

When teach-out requirements are triggered, an institution must submit and gain approval of Provisional Plan. The Provisional Plan may need to include one or more Teach-out Agreements with other institutions. HLC’s Provisional Plan and Teach-Out Procedure includes information for institutions that must file a Provisional Plan and for institutions receiving teach-out students through a Teach-out Agreement.

Provisional Plan and Teach-Out Procedure

Teach-Out Toolkit

In 2020, HLC collaborated with a group of institutional representatives and representatives from higher education state agencies who have been involved in teach-out situations to develop tools to help institutions prepare for and implement successful teach outs. With generous funding from Lumina Foundation, HLC convened this group to develop a Teach-Out Toolkit.

HLC’s Teach-Out Toolkit includes:

1. Governing Boards Contemplating a Decision That Would Require a Teach Out
2. Assisting Students When Your Institution Is Required to Teach Out Students
3. Assisting Students When Your Institution Receives Students From a Teach Out
4. State Authorizing Agency Checklist for Institutions That are Required to Teach Out Students
5. Checklist for Institutions Receiving Teach-Out Students