Learning Center seeks students dumped by defunct school

Jennifer Knight

Monday, Feb. 12, 2001 | 11:04 a.m.

Once again, another vocational school is attempting to pick up the pieces of the now defunct Virginia-based Computer Learning Center.

The Learning Center, a Las Vegas-based training school that has been around for 16 years, is now offering scholarships to students who cannot finish their education at the Computer Learning Center.

About 191 students were affected by the closure of Computer Learning Center's Las Vegas branch. A handful of those students attended a workshop Thursday night held by The Learning Center.

"Basically, we're giving the training at below cost," said Linda Montgomery, president of The Learning Center. "We're loosing money, but that's not the point. The point is to help these students finish what they started."

The school is offering $250,000 in scholarships to Computer Learning Center students and is in talks with the the Student Loan Marketing Association, or Sally Mae, which oversees their student loans.

If The Learning Center comes to an agreement with Sally Mae, the school would be paid to help students receive their degrees.

Montgomery has already heard from several students who have gone through hardships as a result of Computer Learning Center's bankruptcy, which was filed two weeks ago. One woman, she said, is now broke because she spent all of her money on tuition.

At a recent meeting with the Commission on Postsecondary Education, Montgomery asked that the bond that is required before approving vocational schools be increased, so that the state will have enough insurance money to offset an future vocational school closures.

"A higher bond amount will weed out the bad schools, and the commission won't be left to clean up after the closed schools that leave students with their dreams shattered," Montgomery said.