State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

What is SARA?

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offerings of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. SARA is overseen by a national council and administered by four regional education compacts.

Currently, 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 U.S. territories have become members of SARA. A degree-granting institution may participate in SARA if it meets the standards for participation outlined in the SARA Policy Manual. Participation in SARA permits institutions to offer distance education courses or programs to students locate in other states as long as the institution complies with SARA policies.

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) administers SARA on behalf of Washington State and is responsible for ensuring the state and its participating institutions meet SARA's standards.

Washington schools seeking to participate in SARA should contact Sam Loftin for application information.

Additional information on SARA, a map of SARA member states, and participating schools can be found at: www.nc-sara.org. 

Student Complaints

Students who are located outside of Washington State and enrolled in a distance learning program offered by a Washington school that participates in SARA can file complaints through WSAC's student complaint process.

Institutional Appeals

An institution whose application for SARA participation is denied by WSAC may submit an appeal of the denial in accordance with the process described in the institutional appeals process.  An appeal may be submitted to Sam Loftin at saml@wsac.wa.gov.