ITT Tech closing campuses, including 4 Atlanta locations

The shutdown will have an immediate impact on thousands of staff and students, including at its locations in Kennesaw, Duluth, Atlanta and Douglasville. A company spokeswoman declined to provide information on the number of students enrolled at its four metro Atlanta locations. ITT operated 130 campuses in 38 states, serving 40,000 students according to the company’s website.

The Carmel, Ind.-based company is eliminating the majority of its 8,000 employees, and the remaining staffers will be focused on helping the “tens of thousands of unexpectedly displaced students” with their records and future educational options.

The for-profit giant had faced a number of state and federal lawsuits and investigations into its practices, including exaggerated job-placement rates and questions about its student recruitment practices.

ITT is the latest causalty in a crackdown by the Obama administration of for-profit college operators. In June, Education Management Corporation, the for-profit operator of Brown Mackie College, announced plans to close most of its 26 campuses, including its Atlanta location over the next few years. Last year, Corinthian Colleges — which operated Everest, Heald and WyoTech campuses — also ceased operations following state and federal legal challenges.