Legislative declaration

(1) It is the purpose of this article 64 to provide standards for and to foster and improve private occupational schools and their educational services and to protect the citizens of this state against fraudulent or substandard private occupational schools by: (a) Prohibiting the use of false or misleading literature, advertising, or representations by private occupational schools or their agents; (b) Establishing accountability for private occupational schools and their agents through the setting of standards relative to the quality of educational services, fiscal responsibility, and ethical business practices; (c) Providing for the preservation of essential records; (d) Providing certain rights and remedies to the private occupational school division, the private occupational school board created in section 23-64-107, and the consuming public necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article 64; (e) Providing for the authorization of appropriate educational credentials by approved schools, including, but not limited to, certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees; and (f) Providing train-out for students of private occupational schools ceasing operation. (2) To these ends, this article 64 shall be liberally construed.