State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)
Lake Region State College has a comprehensive online program offering courses and complete degree programs. Online courses and degrees are available to out-of-state students based on state authorization.
State and federal laws require authorization for colleges and universities to offer online courses and degree programs in states other than their own.
Lake Region State College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). SARA is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. The following states are members:
Alabama Hawaii Massachusetts New Mexico South Carolina
Alaska Idaho Michigan New York South Dakota
Arizona Illinois Minnesota North Carolina Tennessee
Arkansas Indiana Mississippi North Dakota Texas
Colorado Iowa Missouri Ohio U.S. Virgin Islands
Connecticut Kansas Montana Oklahoma Utah
Delaware Kentucky Nebraska Oregon Vermont
District of Columbia Louisiana Nevada Pennsylvania Virginia
Florida Maine New Hampshire Puerto Rico West Virginia
Georgia Maryland New Jersey Rhode Island Wisconsin
Wyoming
No Online Authorization
Lake Region State College does NOT have the authorization to deliver online courses and degrees in the following states. However, if we have a program that interests you, contact admissions about becoming a student on our campus.
- California
Student Complaint Process
Lake Region State College is a regionally accredited institution. Student complaint and grievance procedures can be found in the LRSC Policy and Procedure Manual, Policy 800.31.
If a complaint cannot be resolved at the institutional level, the complainant may contact the North Dakota University System (NDUS) which is governed by the State Board of Higher Education. The NDUS is also the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) portal agency in North Dakota.
SARA Portal Agency
Claire Gunwall
Director of Academic Affairs & Workforce Innovation
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 215
Bismarck, ND 58505
701.328.4140
claire.gunwall@ndus.edu
If a complaint cannot be resolved and an online student resides in a SARA state, they can contact their local state portal agency.
For students who have concerns regarding the college's compliance with the Standards of Accreditation, not a specific student complaint, the student may contact Lake Region State College's regional accrediting agency, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. For information on this process, please consult Complaints Against Affiliated Institutions. For guidance on filing a complaint, please send an email.
The Department of Education
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) was enacted on August 14, 2008, and reauthorizes the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) contains numerous federal reporting and disclosure requirements for information from various administrative areas of higher education institutions.
See the Lake Region State College Website for Consumer Information to provide quick access to this data.
Professional Licensure
Professional licensure and certification requirements vary from state to state. Lake Region State College offers the following programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification:
- Early Childhood Education
- Nursing
- Peace Officer Training
- Speech-Language Pathology Paraprofessional
Lake Region State College is working to confirm if programs meet the educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification outside the state of North Dakota. Students should always check with their state's licensing board to confirm licensure requirements. Lake Region State College's academic departments will work with you to research if a program meets the licensure requirements outside North Dakota. Please contact the Director of Academic Affairs, jade.erickstad@lrsc.edu, to be connected with academic departments regarding professional licensure or certification.
Click HERE to view programs that have been reviewed.
Early Childhood Education
The LRSC Early Childhood program is designed to provide:
- One-year Certificate
- Two-year Associate Degree
This degree will allow an individual to work in an early childhood setting. North Dakota state law requires a bachelor’s degree to be a licensed teacher in early childhood education. Please speak with an advisor to discuss how LRSC can prepare you for transfer into a bachelor's degree to meet licensure requirements. Please be aware that our curriculum/degree may or may not meet licensure requirements in other states. If you intend to complete an Early Childhood Education degree and vacate our state for employment, please check the following website for EC licensure requirements. https://www.preschoolteacher.org/requirements/
Nursing
The LRSC Nursing program is designed to provide:
- One-year Practical Nurse Certificate (PN)
- Two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
These tracks allow an individual to become licensed in the state of North Dakota. Other states may have different requirements for gaining licensure. Please be aware that our curriculum/degree may or may not meet licensure requirements in other states. If you intend to complete a PN certificate or ADN degree and vacate our state for employment, please check the following website for Nursing licensure requirements. Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) states, meet requirements at LRSC. https://www.ncsbn.org/licensure.htm
Peace Officer Training
The LRSC Peace Officer Training program is designed to provide two tracks.
- One-semester certificate to become a licensed police officer.
- Two-year Associate Degree in law enforcement.
This track allows an individual to become licensed in the state of North Dakota. Other states may have different requirements for gaining licensure. Please be aware that LRSC’s curriculum/degree may or may not meet licensure requirements in other states. If you intend to complete the academy and law enforcement degree and vacate our state for employment, please check the following website for peace officer licensure requirements. www.iadlest.org
Speech-Language Pathology Paraprofessional
The LRSC Speech-Language Pathology Paraprofessional program is designed to provide:
- Two-year Associate Degree
This track allows an individual to become licensed in the state of North Dakota. Other states may have different requirements for gaining licensure. Please be aware that LRSC’s curriculum/degree may or may not meet licensure requirements in other states. Visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website for more details, or contact the State Education Agencies Communication Disabilities Council.
NC-SARA has also created and maintained the Professional Licensure Directory, which provides contact information for five programs that lead to a professional license. These programs have the most enrollments per the data provided by SARA participating institutions. More information on professional licensure.