President Orders Reform of U.S. Higher Education Accreditation System
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The President has issued an order to reform the higher education accreditation system, arguing that accrediting bodies have failed to ensure institutions provide quality education, citing a low graduation rate and high rates of debt as proof. The order also criticizes accreditors for focusing on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” mandates, which it perceives as leading to unlawful discrimination and intrusion on state and local authority. The order calls for the Secretary of Education and Attorney General to hold accreditors accountable for any violations of federal law and mandates that future accreditation focus on high-quality, non-discriminatory academic programs and student outcomes.
President’s Executive Order on College Accreditation Reform
An executive order issued by the President seeks to reform the accreditation system for American colleges and universities. Higher education accreditors, who control access to over $100 billion in student loans and Pell Grants, have been criticized for failing to ensure educational quality and for abusing their authority.
Low-quality institutions are frequently approved by accreditors, which is proven by the alarming 64 percent national six-year undergraduate graduation rate in 2020. A significant number of accredited institutions offer undergraduate and graduate programs with a negative return on investment, charging exorbitant fees for degrees with limited earnings potential.
Despite these issues, accreditors have been criticized for focusing on adopting discriminatory practices under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, instead of student outcomes. The American Bar Association (ABA) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) have both been cited for such practices.
Enforcing Accountability and Reform
The Secretary of Education, Attorney General, and Secretary of Health and Human Services are tasked with investigating and terminating any unlawful discrimination encouraged or demanded by these accreditors. The new executive order stipulates that Federal recognition will not be granted to accreditors engaging in such practices.
The Secretary of Education is further tasked with aligning accreditation with high-quality, valuable education. Accreditation will require institutions to provide high-quality, high-value academic programs free from discrimination. The policy also mandates that accreditors use data on program-level student outcomes to improve such outcomes, without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex.
Introduction of New Principles of Student-Oriented Accreditation
The executive order introduces new principles of student-oriented accreditation, focusing on delivering high-quality academic programs at a reasonable price. To achieve this, the Secretary of Education will recognize new accreditors, mandate the use of data on program-level student outcomes, and provide noncompliance findings to accreditors after investigations conducted by the Office of Civil Rights.
The Secretary will also establish a new experimental site to speed up innovation and improve accountability. The order also seeks to streamline the process for higher education institutions to change accreditors and update the Accreditation Handbook to make the accreditation process more efficient and transparent.
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