BPPE says it migrated 25 years of records into new 'Connect' platform; stabilization to continue

Jason Piccione, chief information officer for the Department of Consumer Affairs, told the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education advisory committee that the bureau migrated 25 years of institution, application and financial data into the department's new Connect platform on July 1, 2025. "We've successfully migrated 25 years worth of bureau institution data, application data, financial data, to marry up with the enforcement data and the STRF claims data," Piccione said.

The bureau said the migration is not yet fully stabilized. Piccione said the bureau expects an extended stabilization and continuous-improvement phase after the initial migration. "Perfection is something we're still chasing, and we will continue to have, fun, interesting, challenges along the way as we continue to improve the platform," he told committee members.

Officials said institutions will begin receiving automated digital communications from Connect for annual fees and STRF notices and that more institution-facing functions will appear over time. Deputy bureau chief Manila Longmini said early data indicate applications submitted through Connect are being processed faster than paper submissions. Piccione and bureau leadership asked for patience while staff address issues found during the stabilization period.

The rollout also prompted questions from committee members about user feedback and how the bureau will collect and prioritize requests for improvements. Piccione said stabilization provides an ongoing operational feedback loop and that the bureau expects to add external surveys and targeted vetting with institutions to gather more feedback.

The bureau emphasized that maintenance and continuous improvement are ongoing now that the platform is in production, and staff will focus next on data accessibility for operational and research uses.