GA Beauty School To Permanently Close After Losing Accreditation

CONYERS, GA — A beauty school in Georgia will shutter its doors after two decades due to accreditation loss, the institute said in a notice.

The Georgia Career Institute, sitting at Flat Shoals Road Southeast in Rockdale County, said its last day of classes will be Oct. 1. Faculty must report until Oct. 2.

This comes after the Council on Occupational Education on Sept. 16 sent GCI a letter, notifying the school that it would be losing its accreditation due to "the school’s failure to demonstrate compliance with COE’s accreditation standards with respect to financial resources," GCI said.

The institute has until Oct. 6 to appeal, but the school said it has instead chosen to permanently close after reviewing available options and the financial demands for an appeal.

"It is with tremendous sadness that we share this news. After nearly 40 years of serving students and preparing graduates for careers in the beauty industry, this is an incredibly difficult moment for our institution and, most importantly, our students," GCI said in its notice.

"Although this is not the outcome we hoped for, our commitment to our students remains our highest priority. Our focus now is to make the closure and transfer process as organized and supportive as possible."

Until closure, students can attend their normal classes to earn hours. Faculty members will finalize grades and complete other academic tasks.

GCI said it has partnered with other local beauty schools, deemed "teach-out providers," so students can continue their education. They are Empire Beauty School, the Elaine Sterling Institute and Proway Hair School.

Students must complete a form to elect or opt out of a teach-out program.

"While we cannot change the circumstances that have brought us to this point, we can remain committed to completing this process responsibly and doing everything within our ability to support each student through this transition," GCI said in the notice.