Meet the company picking up the pieces (and students) of Career Point and ITT Tech in San Antonio
The closure of three for-profit vocational schools operating in San Antonio this year has been a business opportunity for a competitor in the market that was dealing with declining enrollment at its own educational company.
That would be National American University Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: NAUH), based in South Dakota, which has enrolled more than 600 former students from Brown Mackie College, ITT Technical Institute, Westwood College and Wright Career College, the company told its investors recently.
And now, pending regulatory approval, hundreds of students who had been attending the recently closed Career Point College in San Antonio could join them.
Lawrence Earle, CEO at Career Point College, signed an agreement with the CEO of National American University, Ronald Shape, on Oct. 31 that would offer existing Career Point students a path to finish degrees either inside the former Wonderland of Americas Mall location, at the National American University campus in Austin or online.
Shape, reached via email, confirmed that the two institutions were communicating but said that there are still some hurdles to jump.
"Multiple regulatory agencies must first review and approve the terms of a teach-out agreement and certain conditions must be met before a teach-out can begin," Shape said.
Career Point can't enroll new students, so National American University acquired up to 1,400 students from the deal — and no more. The for-profit school is slated to temporarily retain Career Point College employees to accommodate the students that stay.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. National American University estimated that it costs about $150 to recruit one student, so the deal has a potential value of $210,000 — but that wouldn't pay the debts Career Point racked up.
Former students of Career Point are eligible to have their entire loan debt forgiven by the U.S. Department of Education — if the credits earned are forfeited.
ITT Tech filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, while Career Point College filed for Chapter 11 — which means it could reorganize as a company. It was not immediately clear whether Career Point intends to continue its operations or if National American University would open a San Antonio campus.
Most of the school's student population of roughly 10,000 are enrolled in online courses.
National American University reported a decrease in company revenue during third quarter 2016 from $24.6 million in 2015 to $21 million as of Sept 30.
Likewise, the executive compensation for the vocational school has dropped significantly. Former President Jerry Gallentine, who is now a board member, earned $1.1 million, while Ronald Shape made $990,361 in 2010.
In 2014, Shape made $798,307 in compensation, and in 2015 that dropped to $657,267, according to records on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As a member of the board of directors, Gallentine earned $149,570 in 2015.
The company's default rate for students increased from 21 percent in 2012 to 23 percent in 2013, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. In response, the school hired a new third-party loan collection agency.
National American University Holdings’ stock was trading at about $1.95 as of midday on Nov. 4, down from its 52-week peak of $2.19 in April.
Neither Lawrence Earle nor his attorney responded to requests for comment for this story.
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On another note, Kent State University has accepted ITT credits before and offers online degrees as well, bet they aren't the only University to accept credits from ITT, depends what program you were enrolled in and syllabus equivalency.