STUDENT RECEIVABLES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

12.	STUDENT RECEIVABLES

Student receivables represent funds owed to us in exchange for the educational services provided to a student. Student receivables are reflected net of an allowance for credit losses at the end of the reporting period. Student receivables, net, are reflected on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as components of both current and non-current assets.

Our students pay for their costs through a variety of funding sources, including federal loan and grant programs, institutional payment plans, Veterans Administration and other military funding and grants, private and institutional scholarships and cash payments. Cash receipts from government-related sources are typically received during the current academic term. Students who have not applied for any type of financial aid generally set up a payment plan with the institution and make payments on a monthly basis as per the terms of the payment plan. A student receivable balance is written off when deemed uncollectable, which is typically once a student is out of school and there has been no payment activity on the account for 150 days. If, however, the student does remit a payment during this time period, the 150-day policy for write-off starts again until either (1) the student continues making payments, or (2) the student does not make any additional payments after which the student receivable balance is written off after 150 days.

Effective January 1, 2023, the Company adopted Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” commonly known as “CECL” (“CECL”). On the January 1, 2023 date of adoption, based on forecasts of macroeconomic conditions and exposures at that time, the aggregate impact to the Company resulted in an opening balance sheet adjustment increasing the allowance for credit losses related to the Company’s accounts receivables of approximately $10.8 million, a decrease in retained earnings of $7.9 million, after-tax and a deferred tax asset increase of $2.9 million.

Students enrolled in the Company’s programs are provided with a variety of funding resources, including financial aid, grants, scholarships and private loans. After exhausting all fund options, if the student is still in need of additional financing, the Company may offer an institutional loan as a lender of last resort. Institutional loan terms are pre-determined at enrollment and are not typically restructured.

Our standard student receivable allowance is based on an estimate of lifetime expected credit losses on student receivables that considers vintages of receivables to determine a loss rate. In considering lifetime credit losses, if the expected life goes beyond the Company’s reasonable ability to forecast, the Company then reverts back to historical loss experience as an indicator of collections. In determining the expected credit losses for the period, student receivables were disaggregated and pooled into two different categories to refine the calculation. Other information considered included external factors outside the Company’s control. Given that collection history during the COVID-19 pandemic was not considered to be a reliable indicator of a student’s repayment history, the Company adjusted the historical loss calculation by normalizing the financial data relating to that time period. Our estimation methodology further considered a number of quantitative and qualitative factors that, based on our collection experience, we believe have an impact on our repayment risk and ability to collect student receivables. Changes in the trends in any of these factors may impact our estimate of the allowance for credit losses. These factors include, but are not limited to: internal repayment history, student status, changes in the current economic condition, legislative or regulatory environments, internal cash collection forecasts and the ability to complete the federal financial aid process with the student. These factors are monitored and assessed on a regular basis. Overall, our allowance estimation process for student receivables is validated by trending analysis and comparing estimated and actual performance.

Student Receivables

The Company has student receivables that are due greater than 12 months from the date of our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the amount of non-current student receivables under payment plans that is longer than 12 months in duration, net of allowance for credit losses, was $19.8 million and $17.5 million, respectively.

The following table presents the amortized cost basis of student receivables as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, by year of origination.

	As of September 30,
	2024			2023
	Student			Student
Year	Receivables (1)		Year	Receivables (1)
2024	$	94,020	2023	$	71,867
2023		17,291	2022		14,678
2022		8,060	2021		7,797
2021		4,606	2020		3,481
2020		1,942	2019		2,318
Prior		1,738	Prior		1,258
Total	$	127,657	Total	$	101,399

(1)

Student receivables are presented on a gross basis from the individual students. The total receivable amount above excludes federal subsidies reflected on the students’ accounts but not yet received from the government. Also, it excludes all receivables from corporate partnerships, which are otherwise included under accounts receivable in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table presents write-off amounts during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, based on the student’s school departure year.

	September 30, 2024					September 30, 2023
	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended			Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
Year	Write-Offs		Write-Offs		Year	Write-Offs		Write-Offs
2024	$	4,993	$	4,043	2023	$	2,870	$	2,920
2023		5,270		24,244	2022		4,626		18,820
2022		660		2,525	2021		587		2,615
2021		345		1,051	2020		162		547
2020		100		397	2019		73		461
Prior		120		345	Prior		85		244
Total	$	11,488	$	32,605	Total	$	8,403	$	25,607

Allowance for Credit Losses

We define student receivables as a portfolio segment under CECL. Changes in our current and non-current allowance for credit losses related to our student receivable portfolio are calculated in accordance with the guidance effective January 1, 2023 under CECL for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Balance, beginning of period	$	58,231		$	47,607		$	53,811		$	35,370
Cumulative effect of ASC 326		-			-			-			10,841
Adjusted beginning of period balance		58,231			47,607			53,811			46,211
Provision for credit losses		15,286			12,747			40,823			31,347
Write-off’s		(11,488	)		(8,403	)		(32,605	)		(25,607	)
Balance, at end of period	$	62,029		$	51,951		$	62,029		$	51,951

Fair Value Measurements

The carrying amount reported in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for the current portion of student receivables approximates fair value because of the nature of these financial instruments, as they generally have short maturity periods. It is not practicable to estimate the fair value of the non-current portion of student receivables, since observable market data is not readily available and no reasonable estimation methodology exists.