UPDATE ON CLAYTON COLLEGE OF NATURAL HEALTH, August 12th, 2010:

Clayton College of Natural Health HAS NOT released official transcripts for students to the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. Once the official transcripts have been received by the Department, the process to request transcripts will be posted on this website. No other information is available at this time regarding transcripts.

August 9th, 2010:

Representatives from Clayton College of Natural Health have contacted the Department regarding the CCNH website. The website is down due to hardware failure. The expectation time to repair the server is noon Tuesday, August, 10, 2010. CCNH is hopeful that students may resume the teach out plan at that time. Updates will be made available as the Department receives them.

July 30th:

New information regarding a teach-out program for students of Clayton College of Natural Health is available at http://www.ccnh.edu. Additional information is also available regarding unofficial transcripts. Representatives of CCNH have been working with officials from the Department of Postsecondary Education toward the transfer of the official transcripts. Please watch this website for the posting of additional information as it becomes available.

July 20th:

Officials at the Clayton College of Natural Health have contacted DPE and have asked that we convey the following message:

"Please let people know that our being out of touch is not demonstrating bad faith and that we will contact them with information as soon as we possibly can."

DPE does not have any new information related to teach outs or transfers but has been contacted by other schools who are interested in pursuing the matter with CCNH. Please continue to monitor this website for new information.

STATEMENT REGARDING CLAYTON COLLEGE OF NATURAL HEALTH

Members of the Private School Licensing Staff met with officials from Clayton College on Monday, July 12, 2010. School officials represented that a teach out plan will made available to some students and that details will be available by the end of this week. School officials committed to keeping the PSL division informed of the teach out plan and any arrangements for transfer credits to other schools of natural health.

CCNH officials, and their attorney, were advised that Alabama law requires that closed school transcripts be forwarded to the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education, Private School Licensing Division. A bond is required before a license is issued. However, based upon the number of students involved, the bond will offer very limited financial reimbursement. Before any refund procedures from the bond can begin, the administrative remedies available through Clayton College of Natural Health should be exhausted. A statement posted on the CCNH website list the following as the appropriate address by which to contact the school:

Clayton College of Natural Health
P.O. Box 2488
Birmingham, AL 35201

The Private School Licensing Division is a part of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education and as such, its records are public and subject to inspection within the bounds of the Open Records Law.

It is generally recognized that courses of instruction, whether in residence, distance, or correspondence, result in substantial benefits for students pursuing such courses, provided that such courses are designed and administered in accordance with recognized educational standards and practices. To ensure that Alabamians who attend private, proprietary postsecondary educational institutions are protected from fraud, the state enacted laws prescribing that all schools, except those exempted by law, shall first secure an Alabama Private School License from the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. All schools must either obtain an Alabama Private School License or a Certificate of Exemption.

The Private School Licensure Division of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education issues Private School Licenses to proprietary postsecondary schools interested in offering courses of instruction, whether on a resident campus or through distance learning, within the State of Alabama; based on recognized educational standards and practices.

As of October 1, 2008, the Private School Licensure Division began requiring private/proprietary schools to complete an annual Report Card. This report card allows the Department of Postsecondary Education to maintain up-to-date information for each institution, both degree and non-degree granting. General information and program offerings are provided for each institution. The 2009 Report Card is available for each institution that has reported. The site will be updated regularly as institutions continue to report and update selected data. A detailed comparison of programs and costs, for both two-year public and private institutions, is available at http://www.accs.cc/SearchbyProgram.aspx

Driver Training School License Act (PDF)
Driver School Act A G Opinion (PDF)

The Code of Alabama Section 46-16-1 through 10 provides that the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education has approval /licensing authority for for-profit/proprietary vocational/technical school, non-degree-granting proprietary schools and non-accredited degree-granting institutions. No proprietary postsecondary school, unless otherwise exempted, shall operate within the State of Alabama unless the school first secures a Private School License. These licenses are based on recognized educational standards and practices; and are valid for a two year period.