Company: GHC
Filing Date: 2025-02-26
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000104889-25-000022
Chunk: 194

Company: Graham Holdings Co
Filing Date: 2025-02-26
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 194
---
 to discharge was likely previously covered by Kaplan’s prior settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General through which they should have received refunds of all or part of their tuition. 

As part of the Sweet v. Cardona settlement described below, the ED agreed to review any borrower defense applications submitted between June 23, 2022, and November 15, 2022 on an expedited basis. In January 2024, Kaplan was informed that the ED received applications during this time period regarding former Kaplan University and Purdue Global students and Kaplan has begun to receive them. Unknown at this time is the total discharge amount sought or how much of that amount would apply to Kaplan University students. The Sweet v. Cardona settlement requires the ED to adjudicate applications received during the designated time period pursuant to the requirements of the 2016 Borrower Defense Regulation. To the extent these applications apply to Kaplan University, Kaplan anticipates that it will have defenses similar to those described above.

The settlement agreement in Sweet v. Cardona, a case brought by plaintiffs against the ED and discharges all pending BDTR claims against Kaplan filed through the date of the settlement agreement in June 2022. Although the ED may argue that it has the right to separately adjudicate those BDTR claims to attempt to seek recoupment from Kaplan, it is not clear whether a federal court would hold that the Sweet settlement resolves or moots all such claims. As noted above, the Sweet settlement also applies to claims filed prior to November 15, 2022. Although those post-June 23, 2022 claims were not automatically discharged, the settlement commits the ED to adjudicate those claims prior to January 2026.

In any case, Kaplan expects to vigorously defend any attempt by the ED to hold Kaplan liable for any ultimate student discharges and responded to the prior claims with documentary and narrative evidence to refute the allegations, demonstrate their lack of merit and support the denial of all such claims by the ED. Kaplan will similarly respond to all future claims it receives. As noted, if the claims are successful, the ED may seek reimbursement for the amount discharged from Kaplan. If the ED initiates a reimbursement action against Kaplan following approval of additional former students’ borrower defense to repayment applications, Kaplan may be subject to significant liability.

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•    Noncompliance with Regulations by KNA’s Client Institutions May Adversely Impact Kaplan’s Results of Operations.

KNA currently provides services to higher education institutions that are heavily regulated by federal and state laws and regulations and by accrediting