
	Balance, Beginning of Period		Charges to Expense ⁽¹⁾		Amounts Written-off			Balance, End of Period
	(Dollars in thousands)
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011	$	90,939	$	55,741	$	(81,727	)	$	64,953

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 ⁽²⁾	$	53,334	$	106,925	$	(69,320	)	$	90,939

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2009	$	47,792	$	57,024	$	(51,482	)	$	53,334

(1)	Charges to expense include an offset for recoveries of amounts previously written off of $10.0 million, $9.7 million, and $10.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

(2)

In the first and third quarters 2010, we increased the reserve rates applied to outstanding student receivables balances attributed to our student extended payment plans and our previously terminated recourse loan programs. The increases resulted from lower repayment history experienced on these programs. In the fourth quarter 2010, we recorded additional bad debt expense of $5.9 million for the correction of an error related to the allowance for doubtful accounts associated with our extended payment plan programs. The bad debt reserve rates are continually reviewed for appropriateness based upon historical repayment data as it becomes available.