The Career Education Corporation said today that it had won approval from the U.S. Education Department to open two new campuses eligible to participate in the federal student-aid programs.

The approval, which was described in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, was notable because the Education Department froze the company’s ability to open new campuses more than a year ago, while the federal agency investigated Career Education’s financial records and compliance with federal financial-aid regulations (The Chronicle, June 30, 2005). That inquiry continues.

But at the time the freeze was imposed, the department said the action would not affect any applications to open new campuses that were already pending. Such was the case with the two campuses that have now gained approval—International Academy of Design and Technology locations in Sacramento and San Antonio—according to Lynne Baker, the company’s vice president for media and public relations.