PEORIA – The Illinois State Board of Education is searching for individuals who were enrolled in New Horizons Computer Learning Center at the time of its closure. Students may be entitled to a partial tuition refund. The ISBE has extended the deadline for students to submit claims because it has recently learned the school may have held classes at additional locations in the state.

New Horizons Computer Learning Center, located at 1014 W. Pioneer Parkway in Peoria, abruptly closed without notice in January 2009. The school also may have held classes out of Springfield, Champaign and Normal. The ISBE is now searching for former students because the school has failed to submit its list of students and other records to the agency.

About 300 private business and vocational schools across the state are registered with ISBE’s Educator and School Development Division. Illinois law requires such schools to apply for a certificate of approval that shows they meet the minimum requirements of the law in order to operate in the State of Illinois.

Schools are also required to secure a surety bond to protect students from violations or closures such as New Horizons Computer Learning Center in Peoria. Claims against that school will be funded from this liability insurance.

Former students of the vocational school who feel they are entitled to a claim against the school are asked to submit their enrollment agreement, loan papers and tuition payment receipts to Attn: Jo Ann Price, Illinois State Board of Education, 100 N. First St.,Springfield, IL 62777.

The recently extended deadline for submissions is Dec. 10, 2010. Those received after the deadline will not be honored. Please send questions or concerns to the address above or to pbvs@isbe.net. For more information about the requirements for private business and vocational school under Illinois law, visit http://www.isbe.net/pbvs/Default.htm.