How to Apply for a Kentucky State Board Specialty Permit for Eyelash Extensions

At Louisville Beauty Academy, we take pride in providing state-licensed and state-accredited beauty education, including our comprehensive 2-day, 16-hour Eyelash Extension course. Upon successful completion of this course, certified by the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to apply for a Specialty Permit in Kentucky. This article will guide you through the application process for obtaining this essential permit.

Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for a Specialty Permit

1. Complete the Required Training:

  • Training Course Completion: Ensure that you have completed the 2-day, 16-hour Eyelash Extension course at Louisville Beauty Academy, certified by the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology. This course provides you with the necessary certification to apply for the specialty permit.

2. Gather Necessary Documents:

  • High School Diploma or Equivalent: Provide a copy of your high school diploma, transcripts, or GED.
  • Identification: Include a copy of your driver’s license for identification purposes.
  • Passport Photo: Attach a 2×2 passport photo to your application.
  • Milady Pro Infection Control Certificate: Complete a minimum 3-hour infection control course, available online at Milady Training. Ensure the certificate is dated within one year of your application.
  • Lash Training Certificate: Include a copy of your certification from the Louisville Beauty Academy course, noting that the training must have been completed within six months of your application.

3. Employment Location Disclosure:

  • Work Location: Disclose your intended employment location, as all services must be performed in a licensed facility approved by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Permit holders are not allowed to provide services outside of these licensed facilities.

4. Submit the Application Online:

  • Online Application Portal: Visit the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology’s online application portal. Locate the permit application under the Licensure tab, then click on “Specialty Permits” on the right side of the screen. Follow the instructions to complete your application.

5. Payment of Fees:

  • Electronic Payment: As of July 1, 2023, all payments must be made online via credit or debit card. Physical payments are no longer accepted. Ensure you complete this step to avoid delays in processing your application.

6. Review and Compliance:

  • Sanitation Training: Complete the required sanitation training through the infection control course mentioned above.
  • Compliance with Regulations: It’s crucial to comply with all regulations set by the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology, including the prohibition against performing services outside of licensed facilities.

Important Considerations:

  • No Additional Services: An Eyelash Extension Permit does not authorize you to provide other services such as lash perm lifts, tinting, or brow services. These services require separate licensure as a Cosmetologist or Esthetician.
  • Renewal and Maintenance: Permits must be renewed annually during the renewal period of July 1st – 31st. Failure to renew on time requires submitting a Restoration Application along with applicable fees.

Disclaimer: Louisville Beauty Academy is here to help you align with Kentucky State law for all beauty services. We stay updated on the latest regulations and work toward ensuring our students are fully compliant. The information provided here is a simplified explanation of public information to help everyone understand the requirements. Please note that laws and policies of the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology may change frequently. For the most current information on regulations and procedures, always refer directly to the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology.

REFERENCES

https://kbc.ky.gov/Licensure/Specialty%20Permits/Pages/default.aspx

Louisville Beauty Academy: Nurturing a Family of Professionals Committed to Excellence and Compassion

At Louisville Beauty Academy, we pride ourselves on being more than just a beauty school. We are a close-knit family of over 1,000 graduates who have gone on to become salon owners, beauty professionals, and leaders in the industry. Our state-licensed and state-accredited institution fosters a supportive environment where students and alumni continuously uplift and encourage one another throughout their careers.

A Culture of Positivity and Collaboration

From the moment students step through our doors, they are immersed in a culture that emphasizes the importance of positivity, helpfulness, and the ability to inject positive energy into everything they do. Our curriculum goes beyond the technical skills required to excel in hair, nails, skincare, eyelash extensions, and more. We instill values that are crucial for success and collaboration in all aspects of life, particularly in human services.

Teaching the Key to Success

At Louisville Beauty Academy, we believe that success is not merely about obtaining a license; it’s about becoming a valuable and compassionate member of society. Our educators emphasize the importance of:

  • Being a Value: We teach our students to recognize their intrinsic worth and to constantly strive to add value to the lives of others through their work.
  • Being Helpful: Our students learn the significance of helping others, understanding that true success is achieved when we lift others up and support them in their journeys.
  • Radiating Positive Energy: We encourage our students to maintain a positive attitude and to be a source of light and encouragement for those around them.

Beyond Licensing: Love and Care

Our commitment extends beyond equipping students with the skills to pass licensing exams. We emphasize the importance of love and care in their professional and personal lives. In the beauty industry, where we often serve individuals who may not be able to care for themselves as effectively—such as people with disabilities and our loving elders—it is vital to approach each service with compassion and empathy.

Serving on a Vast Scale

Winning in the beauty industry is about more than individual success. It is about being capable of serving a wide range of clients with dedication and excellence. Our graduates are trained to approach their work with a servant’s heart, ensuring that they provide the highest level of care and attention to every client they encounter.

Building a Community of Care

We are incredibly proud of our graduates who have carried these values into their careers. They exemplify what it means to be part of the Louisville Beauty Academy family. Whether they are running their own salons or working as beauty professionals, they continue to embody the principles of value, helpfulness, and positive energy that we hold dear.

Our community is strengthened by the bonds formed during their time at the academy, and these relationships extend far beyond graduation. We support each other through every challenge and celebrate every success, knowing that together, we can achieve greatness.

Conclusion

Louisville Beauty Academy is not just a place to learn; it is a place to grow, both professionally and personally. We are committed to nurturing individuals who will make a positive impact in the beauty industry and in their communities. Our students and graduates are a testament to the power of love, care, and collaboration in creating a successful and fulfilling career.

Join us at Louisville Beauty Academy, where we transform lives through education, compassion, and a commitment to excellence. Together, we can make a difference, one client at a time.

A Thank You Note from Di Tran, Founder of Louisville Beauty Academy

As the founder of Louisville Beauty Academy, I am deeply grateful for the dedication and passion of our students, staff, and graduates. Our mission is to serve others with love and compassion, and it brings me immense happiness to see this reflected in our community.

Inspired by Stoic philosophy, I believe true happiness lies in serving others. Remember, when someone is angry with you, it often stems from their own pain and turmoil. It is not a reflection of you. Understand their struggle, pray for them, bless them with a smile, and walk away with love. As Marcus Aurelius said, “The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”

Thank you for being part of our family and for embodying these values in your work and life.

With gratitude,

Di Tran
Founder, Louisville Beauty Academy

Understanding Gainful Employment Regulations: History, Updates, and Impact on Educational Institutions

History of Gainful Employment Regulations

The concept of “Gainful Employment” regulations was introduced to ensure that educational programs, particularly those at for-profit institutions, provide value to students by preparing them for gainful employment in recognized occupations. The regulations aimed to protect students and taxpayers by ensuring that federal student aid programs were not funding programs that left graduates with unaffordable debt and poor job prospects.

Key Historical Milestones:

  • 2010: The Department of Education under the Obama administration proposed the Gainful Employment regulations to ensure programs receiving federal student aid lead to gainful employment for graduates.
  • 2011: Initial regulations were published, establishing metrics to evaluate whether graduates were successfully repaying their student loans and earning enough to manage their debt.
  • 2014: Revised Gainful Employment rules were introduced after initial regulations faced legal challenges. These rules focused on debt-to-earnings ratios as the primary measure of program success.
  • 2019: The Trump administration rescinded the Gainful Employment regulations, arguing that they unfairly targeted for-profit colleges and created unnecessary burdens for institutions.

Today’s Gainful Employment Regulations

The Gainful Employment regulations have been reinstated and updated under the Biden administration to enhance accountability and transparency in higher education. The regulations are set to take effect on July 1, 2024, with additional requirements coming into force on July 1, 2026.

Key Provisions of the 2024 Regulations:

  • Debt-to-Earnings (D/E) Rates: Programs must report the median debt incurred by graduates and their earnings to determine if they meet the requirements for gainful employment.
    • Discretionary Income Rate: Annual loan payment divided by discretionary earnings (median earnings minus 1.5 times the poverty guideline).
    • Annual Earnings Rate: Annual loan payment divided by median annual earnings.
  • Earnings Premium (EP) Measure: Compares graduates’ median earnings to those of high school graduates in the same state or nationally.
  • Data Collection: Institutions must report detailed information about program completers, including debt and earnings data.

Additional Requirements Effective July 1, 2026:

  • Student Acknowledgements: Prospective students must acknowledge viewing program information on a Department of Education website before enrolling in programs with failing D/E rates.
  • Student Warnings: Institutions must provide warnings to current and prospective students if a program is at risk of losing Title IV eligibility due to failing the D/E or EP measures.
  • Program Information Website: The Department will host a website with detailed information about programs, including costs, debt, earnings, and accreditation status.

Impact on Educational Institutions

Implementing the Gainful Employment regulations involves significant costs and administrative burdens for educational institutions, particularly for smaller schools. These include:

  • Initial Setup Costs:
    • Systems and Software: $5,000 – $20,000
    • Legal and Audit Fees: $10,000 – $30,000
    • Website and IT Infrastructure: $2,000 – $10,000
    • Data Security: $5,000 – $15,000
    • Student Communication Systems: $1,000 – $5,000

Total Initial GE/FVT Costs: $23,000 – $80,000

  • Annual Recurring Costs:
    • Staffing: $40,000 – $80,000
    • Legal and Audit Fees: $10,000 – $30,000
    • Website and IT Maintenance: $1,000 – $5,000
    • Data Security Maintenance: $1,000 – $3,000

Total Annual GE/FVT Costs: $52,000 – $118,000

For small institutions like Louisville Beauty Academy, these costs can significantly impact tuition and operational budgets. To illustrate, if the current tuition is $1,000 and the school enrolls 50 students annually, the increased costs could raise tuition to approximately $2,216 – $3,810 per student, representing a 121.6% to 281% increase.

Emphasizing Student Value

Despite the financial and administrative burdens, Louisville Beauty Academy remains committed to providing high-quality education and ensuring affordability for our students. By not pursuing national accreditation, we have been able to offer substantial tuition discounts, directly benefiting over 1,000 students in the past seven years.

Key Benefits for Students:

  • 50-75% Tuition Discounts: Making education more accessible and reducing student debt.
  • State Licensing and Accreditation: Ensuring high standards without the additional costs of national accreditation.

Addressing Accreditation Myths

P.S. Accreditation is a myth in terms of the quality of education; it is 100% focused on funding through federal aid and federal loans. It increases barriers and the time committed to formality and paperwork, often distracting school leaders from actually providing education to the students, especially in small schools. It is a myth and confusion among the community that accreditation equates to quality education. The true quality of education is proven and shared as each student attends and recognizes themselves. Competition is healthy, and it results in students determining for themselves which institution works best for them. As human beings, each can judge accordingly and use the options that work best for them.

Conclusion

At Louisville Beauty Academy, our primary focus remains on delivering high-quality education and exceptional value to our students. We appreciate the trust and support of our students and community as we navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance and strive to provide the best possible educational experience. Our commitment to transparency, quality, and student success will always be at the forefront of our mission.

Additional Note: The beauty industry has historically been characterized by self-employment, booth rentals, salon ownership, and commission-based pay structures. Consequently, the vast majority of beauty licensees, including cosmetologists, estheticians, and nail technicians, operate as independent contractors (1099), filing their own taxes and earning a significant portion of their income through tips. This unique payment structure makes it extremely challenging to accurately report salaries and earnings. Moreover, many licensees feel uncomfortable disclosing their salaries to schools or educational institutions due to the nature of their business and income sources, such as tips and other non-traditional earnings. The new Gainful Employment regulations, which emphasize strict reporting of graduates’ income, pose significant difficulties for beauty schools and can be seen as an almost direct attack on the industry. These regulations may inadvertently create additional barriers for beauty professionals and institutions, undermining the industry’s inherent flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit.

REFERENCES

https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2024-03-29/regulatory-requirements-financial-value-transparency-and-gainful-employment#

Louisville Beauty Academy: Exploring National Accreditation and Enhancing Student Value

Louisville Beauty Academy is committed to providing top-tier beauty education while maintaining affordability for our students. As a state-licensed and state-accredited beauty college, we ensure high standards and quality in our programs. While we are not currently nationally accredited, we have been diligently exploring this route to further enhance the value of our programs. For the past seven years, we have effectively used the funds that would have been allocated to accreditation costs to offer direct discounts to our students.

National Accreditation for Beauty Colleges

Obtaining national accreditation involves various costs, but it provides numerous benefits, including access to federal financial aid. Here are the top three national accrediting agencies for beauty colleges:

  1. National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS)
  2. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
  3. Council on Occupational Education (COE)

NACCAS Accreditation Costs

Initial Setup Costs:
  • Application Fee: $2,500 – $5,000
  • Initial On-Site Visit: $3,000 – $7,000
  • Consulting Services: $10,000 – $15,000 (for preparation and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards)

Total Initial Accreditation Costs: $15,500 – $27,000

Annual Recurring Costs:
  • Annual Sustaining Fee: $1,800 – $2,500
  • Annual Reporting Fee: $1,000 – $2,000
  • Preparation of Annual Reports: $1,000 – $3,000
  • Audited Financial Statements: $5,000 – $15,000

Total Annual Accreditation Costs: $8,800 – $22,500

Periodic Costs (Every 5-6 Years):
  • Renewal of Accreditation: $4,000 – $7,000

Title IV Gainful Employment and Financial Value Transparency Compliance

Compliance with the Department of Education’s Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) regulations also incurs significant costs:

Initial Setup Costs:
  • Systems and Software: $5,000 – $20,000
  • Legal and Audit Fees: $10,000 – $30,000
  • Website and IT Infrastructure: $2,000 – $10,000
  • Data Security: $5,000 – $15,000
  • Student Communication Systems: $1,000 – $5,000

Total Initial GE/FVT Costs: $23,000 – $80,000

Annual Recurring Costs:
  • Staffing: $40,000 – $80,000
  • Legal and Audit Fees: $10,000 – $30,000
  • Website and IT Maintenance: $1,000 – $5,000
  • Data Security Maintenance: $1,000 – $3,000

Total Annual GE/FVT Costs: $52,000 – $118,000


Combined Costs Overview

To provide a clear picture of the financial commitment involved in pursuing national accreditation and compliance, here is a breakdown of the total estimated costs:

Initial Setup Costs:

  • National Accreditation (e.g., NACCAS): $15,500 – $27,000
  • GE/FVT Compliance: $23,000 – $80,000

Total Initial Costs: $38,500 – $107,000

Annual Recurring Costs:

  • National Accreditation (e.g., NACCAS): $8,800 – $22,500
  • GE/FVT Compliance: $52,000 – $118,000

Total Annual Costs: $60,800 – $140,500

Emphasizing Student Value

While pursuing national accreditation and compliance with Title IV requirements is aimed at enabling access to federal financial aid, it often comes with significant costs that are transferred to students, creating additional barriers for them. Instead, Louisville Beauty Academy has focused on providing direct discounts to make education more accessible:

  • 50-75% Tuition Discounts: For the past seven years, these substantial discounts have directly benefited over 1,000 students, enabling them to secure employment in the beauty industry.
  • State Licensing and Accreditation: As a state-licensed and state-accredited beauty college, we maintain high standards and ensure the quality of our programs without passing on the high costs of national accreditation to our students.

Cost Impact on Students

To illustrate the potential cost impact on students, consider the following example:

Example: If the current tuition is $1,000 and the school enrolls around 50 students per year.

Annual Accreditation Costs: $60,800 – $140,500

  • Annual Costs per Student: $60,800 / 50 = $1,216 to $140,500 / 50 = $2,810

Increased Tuition per Student: Adding the accreditation and compliance costs could increase tuition from $1,000 to approximately $2,216 – $3,810 per student annually.

Percentage Increase:

  • Lower Estimate: (2216 – 1000) / 1000 * 100% = 121.6% increase
  • Higher Estimate: (3810 – 1000) / 1000 * 100% = 281% increase

This means that tuition could increase by 121.6% to 281%, depending on the specific costs incurred.

Commitment to Excellence

At Louisville Beauty Academy, we are dedicated to providing our students with the best possible education and career opportunities. By investing in compliance and accreditation, we ensure that our programs are of the highest quality, offering transparency and value to our students and their future employers. Despite the financial challenges, these investments are crucial for the sustained success and credibility of our institution.

We appreciate the trust and support of our students and community as we strive to provide the best possible educational experience. Our commitment to transparency, quality, and student success will always be at the forefront of our mission. As we continue to explore national accreditation, our primary focus remains on delivering high-quality education and exceptional value to our students.

P.S. Accreditation is a myth in terms of the quality of education; it is 100% focused on funding through federal aid and federal loans. It increases barriers and the time committed to formality and paperwork, often distracting school leaders from actually providing education to the students, especially in small schools. It is a myth and confusion among the community that accreditation equates to quality education. The true quality of education is proven and shared as each student attends and recognizes themselves. Competition is healthy, and it results in students determining for themselves which institution works best for them. As human beings, each can judge accordingly and use the options that work best for them.

Empowering Beauty Dreams: Louisville Beauty Academy’s Mission for Inclusive and Affordable Education

Louisville Beauty Academy, nestled in the heart of Kentucky, is more than just a beauty college; it’s a beacon of opportunity and inclusivity in the field of beauty education. This state-licensed and state-accredited institution has carved out a distinct niche for itself by making beauty education accessible and affordable, particularly for underrepresented groups.

The academy offers an array of courses covering cosmetology, nail care, skin care, and more. What sets it apart is not just the breadth of its programs, but their affordability. Louisville Beauty Academy provides these educational services at a cost that’s significantly lower than the state average, making it a financially viable option for many who might have thought beauty education was out of reach.

But it’s not just about affordable education; the academy boasts an impressive graduation rate that exceeds 95%. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the supportive environment fostered by the institution. The academy recognizes that life can sometimes throw unexpected challenges at students, potentially disrupting their educational journey. In response, it offers considerable support to those who may need to pause their education, ensuring that temporary setbacks don’t turn into permanent roadblocks.

This approach has multiple benefits. Not only does it contribute to the high graduation rate, but it also ensures that students see a strong return on their investment. By graduating a high percentage of students, the academy demonstrates its commitment to their success, both in terms of education and career prospects.

Louisville Beauty Academy stands out in the realm of beauty education for these reasons. It’s not just a place where students learn the technical skills of beauty care; it’s an institution that cares about the individual journeys of its students, ensuring they have the support and resources they need to succeed.

For those interested in exploring more about what Louisville Beauty Academy has to offer, their official website provides in-depth information about their programs, mission, and impact.