Out of State Distance Learning

Accreditation

Florida State College at Jacksonville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of FSCJ may be directed in writing to SACSCOC at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website. For more information, visit FSCJ’s accreditation page.

State Reciprocity for Distance Education

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. NC-SARA allows participating institutions to provide online education outside of their own state borders and to students from all SARA states by seeking and maintaining state approvals. The State of Florida joined SARA through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) compact in 2017 following the formation of the Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education Coordinating Council. The Florida State College at Jacksonville is an approved member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and the Florida State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (FL-SARA). As a member of NC-SARA, FSCJ is authorized to provide online classes and programs to students located in 49 SARA member states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Professional Licensure for Out of State Students

FSCJ Career and Technical Education programs are designed to meet local and national workforce needs. If you are considering employment in a state other than Florida, please check this list to ensure the program curriculum meets the requirements to sit for licensure or certification testing in that state.

FSCJ’s programs are designed to meet licensure requirements in Florida; FSCJ is unable to guarantee the program will meet the requirements in any other state besides Florida.

Students are advised to review their local and state licensure and certification guidelines for any changes or updates to their specific laws.

Distance Learning Complaint Procedure

All students are encouraged to pursue resolution of their complaints through the internal complaint and appeal processes at FSCJ as the first step. Detailed information on FSCJ’s student appeals and complaints process is maintained on the college catalog and appropriate Administrative Procedure Manual.

If you believe that your complaint has not been addressed satisfactorily at the college after exhausting FSCJ's complaint procedures, you may complete the applicable state grievance procedures by contacting the Division of Florida Colleges, as described here:  Concerns Regarding a FL-SARA Approved Institution.

Out-of-State Distance Education students from State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) states, who have completed the FSCJ Procedures for academic appeals, non-academic appeals, complaints, and applicable state grievance processes, may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education Coordinating Council (PRDEC Council). For additional information on this process, please visit the  FL-SARA Complaint Process webpage.