Dakota County Technical College offers online courses and programs to a wide array of learners, across the region nation, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
DCTC is a member of NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements), which means we share a reciprocity agreement with all states who are part of the NC-SARA group. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts.
To find out if you live in a state that has joined this consortium, view the NC-SARA map.
DCTC has been approved by the State of Minnesota to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
Effective July 1, 2020 the U.S. Department of Education instated a new regulation (Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v)) which requires colleges to provide the following on all programs that lead to licensure:
If you are enrolled in a program that does not meet licensure requirements in your home state or a program for which no determination has been made, please consult the appropriate licensure board in your home state. This directory will assist you in locating your licensing board: National Associations for State Licensing Boards (pdf).
| State or U.S. Jurisdiction | Program curriculum meets state's education requirements for licensure or prepares students for the state's recognized licensure exam. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | ||
| Alaska | No | ||
| American Samoa | No | ||
| Arizona | No | ||
| Arkansas | No | ||
| California | No | ||
| Colorado | No | ||
| Connecticut | No | ||
| Delaware | No | ||
| District of Columbia | No | ||
| Florida | No | ||
| Georgia | No | ||
| Guam | No | ||
| Hawaii | No | ||
| Idaho | No | ||
| Illinois | No | ||
| Indiana | No | ||
| Iowa | No | ||
| Kansas | No | ||
| Kentucky | No | ||
| Louisiana | No | ||
| Maine | No | ||
| Maryland | No | ||
| Massachusetts | No | ||
| Michigan | No | ||
| Minnesota | Yes | ||
| Mississippi | No | ||
| Missouri | No | ||
| Montana | No | ||
| Nebraska | No | ||
| Nevada | No | ||
| New Hampshire | No | ||
| New Jersey | No | ||
| New Mexico | No | ||
| New York | No | ||
| North Carolina | No | ||
| North Dakota | No | ||
| Northern Marinara Islands | No | ||
| Ohio | No | ||
| Oklahoma | No | ||
| Oregon | No | ||
| Pennsylvania | No | ||
| Rhode Island | No | ||
| South Carolina | No | ||
| South Dakota | No | ||
| Tennessee | No | ||
| Texas | No | ||
| Utah | No | ||
| Vermont | No | ||
| Virginia | No | ||
| Washington | No | ||
| West Virginia | No | ||
| Wisconsin | No | ||
| Wyoming | No | ||
| State or U.S. Jurisdiction | Program curriculum meets state's education requirements for licensure or prepares students for the state's recognized licensure exam. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | ||
| Alaska | Yes | ||
| American Samoa | No Determination | ||
| Arizona | Yes | ||
| Arkansas | Yes | ||
| California | Yes | ||
| Colorado | Yes | ||
| Connecticut | Yes | ||
| Delaware | Yes | ||
| District of Columbia | Yes | ||
| Florida | Yes | ||
| Georgia | Yes | ||
| Guam | No Determination | ||
| Hawaii | Yes | ||
| Idaho | Yes | ||
| Illinois | Yes | ||
| Indiana | Yes | ||
| Iowa | Yes | ||
| Kansas | Yes | ||
| Kentucky | Yes | ||
| Louisiana | Yes | ||
| Maine | Yes | ||
| Maryland | Yes | ||
| Massachusetts | Yes | ||
| Michigan | Yes | ||
| Minnesota | Yes | ||
| Mississippi | Yes | ||
| Missouri | Yes | ||
| Montana | Yes | ||
| Nebraska | Yes | ||
| Nevada | Yes | ||
| New Hampshire | Yes | ||
| New Jersey | Yes | ||
| New Mexico | No Determination | ||
| New York | Yes | ||
| North Carolina | Yes | ||
| North Dakota | Yes | ||
| Northern Marinara Islands | No Determination | ||
| Ohio | Yes | ||
| Oklahoma | Yes | ||
| Oregon | Yes | ||
| Pennsylvania | Yes | ||
| Rhode Island | Yes | ||
| South Carolina | Yes | ||
| South Dakota | Yes | ||
| Tennessee | Yes | ||
| Texas | Yes | ||
| Utah | Yes | ||
| Vermont | Yes | ||
| Virginia | Yes | ||
| Washington | Yes | ||
| West Virginia | Yes | ||
| Wisconsin | Yes | ||
| Wyoming | Yes | ||
| State or U.S. Jurisdiction | Program curriculum meets state's education requirements for licensure or prepares students for the state's recognized licensure exam. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No Determination | ||
| Alaska | No Determination | ||
| American Samoa | No Determination | ||
| Arizona | No Determination | ||
| Arkansas | No Determination | ||
| California | No Determination | ||
| Colorado | No Determination | ||
| Connecticut | No Determination | ||
| Delaware | No Determination | ||
| District of Columbia | No Determination | ||
| Florida | No Determination | ||
| Georgia | No Determination | ||
| Guam | No Determination | ||
| Hawaii | No Determination | ||
| Idaho | No Determination | ||
| Illinois | No Determination | ||
| Indiana | No Determination | ||
| Iowa | No Determination | ||
| Kansas | No Determination | ||
| Kentucky | No Determination | ||
| Louisiana | No Determination | ||
| Maine | No Determination | ||
| Maryland | No Determination | ||
| Massachusetts | No Determination | ||
| Michigan | No Determination | ||
| Minnesota | Yes | ||
| Mississippi | No Determination | ||
| Missouri | No Determination | ||
| Montana | No Determination | ||
| Nebraska | No Determination | ||
| Nevada | No Determination | ||
| New Hampshire | No Determination | ||
| New Jersey | No Determination | ||
| New Mexico | No Determination | ||
| New York | No Determination | ||
| North Carolina | No Determination | ||
| North Dakota | No Determination | ||
| Northern Marinara Islands | No Determination | ||
| Ohio | No Determination | ||
| Oklahoma | No Determination | ||
| Oregon | No Determination | ||
| Pennsylvania | No Determination | ||
| Rhode Island | No Determination | ||
| South Carolina | No Determination | ||
| South Dakota | No Determination | ||
| Tennessee | No Determination | ||
| Texas | No Determination | ||
| Utah | No Determination | ||
| Vermont | No Determination | ||
| Virginia | No Determination | ||
| Washington | No Determination | ||
| West Virginia | No Determination | ||
| Wisconsin | No | ||
| Wyoming | No Determination | ||
| State or U.S. Jurisdiction | Program curriculum meets state's education requirements for licensure or prepares students for the state's recognized licensure exam. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | ||
| Alaska | Yes | ||
| American Samoa | No Determination | ||
| Arizona | Yes | ||
| Arkansas | Yes | ||
| California | Yes | ||
| Colorado | Yes | ||
| Connecticut | Yes | ||
| Delaware | Yes | ||
| District of Columbia | Yes | ||
| Florida | Yes | ||
| Georgia | Yes | ||
| Guam | No Determination | ||
| Hawaii | Yes | ||
| Idaho | Yes | ||
| Illinois | Yes | ||
| Indiana | Yes | ||
| Iowa | Yes | ||
| Kansas | Yes | ||
| Kentucky | Yes | ||
| Louisiana | Yes | ||
| Maine | Yes | ||
| Maryland | Yes | ||
| Massachusetts | Yes | ||
| Michigan | Yes | ||
| Minnesota | Yes | ||
| Mississippi | Yes | ||
| Missouri | Yes | ||
| Montana | Yes | ||
| Nebraska | Yes | ||
| Nevada | Yes | ||
| New Hampshire | Yes | ||
| New Jersey | Yes | ||
| New Mexico | Yes | ||
| New York | Yes | ||
| North Carolina | Yes | ||
| North Dakota | Yes | ||
| Northern Marinara Islands | Yes | ||
| Ohio | Yes | ||
| Oklahoma | Yes | ||
| Oregon | Yes | ||
| Pennsylvania | Yes | ||
| Rhode Island | Yes | ||
| South Carolina | Yes | ||
| South Dakota | Yes | ||
| Tennessee | Yes | ||
| Texas | Yes | ||
| Utah | Yes | ||
| Vermont | Yes | ||
| Virginia | Yes | ||
| Washington | Yes | ||
| West Virginia | Yes | ||
| Wisconsin | Yes | ||
| Wyoming | Yes | ||
Coming soon.
Pursuant to the United States Department of Education’s Program Integrity Rule, institutions providing online education are required to provide all prospective and current students with contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning within that state.
We encourage you to seek resolution to any concerns by discussing them informally with a staff member at the College. If a complaint cannot be handled informally, DCTC students are encouraged to use our College’s complaint process.
If a complaint cannot be resolved at the College level, you may contact the Minnesota Office of Higher Education if you are a distance education student that resides out of state and in an NC-SARA state. You may also visit NC SARA’s website for more information about the student complaint process.
Dakota County Technical College will not make a determination that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification until more detailed research has been completed.
