National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)
Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).
Georgia Piedmont Technical College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). This membership allows GPTC to offer online courses and programs to students residing in states outside of Georgia, provided those states also participate in SARA.
GPTC may enroll online students only from SARA-participating states. Students should confirm their state’s participation status through the NC-SARA website.
Student Complaints for Online and Distance Education
Students enrolled in online courses or programs at Georgia Piedmont Technical College should first submit any complaints through GPTC’s established grievance procedures, as outlined in the Student Catalog & Handbook.
If a complaint cannot be resolved at the institutional level, students may submit a formal complaint to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) using the Student/Academic Complaint Form. All institutional procedures must be completed before escalation.
If the matter remains unresolved after review by GPTC and TCSG, a student may submit a complaint to the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC). GNPEC will only review complaints after all institutional and system-level grievance processes have been exhausted and does not consider matters related to grades or student conduct.
SARA Student Complaint Process
SARA establishes a uniform complaint resolution process for students enrolled in distance education programs across state lines. Students residing in SARA-participating states have the right to file complaints related to distance education delivery, consumer protection, or misleading information.
Complaints must begin with the institution. If unresolved, students may escalate concerns to Georgia’s SARA Portal Entity.
GA-SARA Online Student Complaint Form
In accordance with requirements from the U.S. Department of Education, the State of Georgia maintains a complaint review process for institutions participating in SARA.
After exhausting all institutional and system-level grievance procedures, students may submit a complaint to GA-SARA for further review.
Reporting Grievances
Georgia Piedmont Technical College will work diligently to resolve student grievances, complaints, and concerns in a prompt, fair, and cooperative manner. Learn more here.
Taking online classes from another state? Here’s what you should know:
- Georgia Piedmont Technical College is approved to offer online programs to students in most U.S. states through NC-SARA
- You must live in a SARA-participating state to enroll in GPTC online programs
- If you have a concern or complaint, you must:
- Start with Georgia Piedmont Technical College
- If unresolved, escalate to TCSG
- As a final step, submit a complaint to GA-SARA
- SARA complaints do not cover grades or student conduct issues
This process ensures consistent consumer protections for online students nationwide.