Education Department Proposes Overhaul of College Accreditation, Seeks Public Comment

The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday issued a proposed rule to remake the higher-education accreditation system, a gatekeeping framework that helps determine whether colleges can tap federal student aid, and opened a public comment period through Sept. 21.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published Aug. 19, the department said it wants to “reenvision America’s postsecondary quality assurance system” by changing how accreditors are recognized and how accreditation standards operate. The proposal would simplify the Education secretary’s recognition of existing and emerging accreditors, push accreditors to focus more on student outcomes and return on investment, limit undue influence from private trade associations, bar standards or policies that discriminate on the basis of immutable characteristics, and promote academic freedom, intellectual diversity and research integrity.

Accreditation is a central lever in federal higher-education policy because colleges generally need recognized accreditation to participate in student-aid programs under the Higher Education Act. That makes accrediting agencies key gatekeepers for institutions and students alike. The Education Department said accreditors control access to more than $100 billion in federal student aid each year.

The proposal would amend regulations in 34 CFR part 602 and 34 CFR part 600, the rules that govern recognition of accrediting agencies and related institutional eligibility requirements. The department tied the proposal to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14279, “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education,” issued April 23, 2025, and said the new rule would carry out reforms outlined in that order.

Wednesday’s action also marks the next formal step after the negotiated-rulemaking process required under Section 492 of the Higher Education Act for Title IV student-aid rules. The department’s Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization committee met April 13-17, 2026, and May 18-22, 2026. The department said the committee reached consensus on the full package of proposed accreditation changes in May, and that agreement became the basis for the proposed rule.

“At a time when Americans have lost trust in higher education, the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the accreditation system are intended to reorient our quality assurance framework so that accreditors prioritize student outcomes rather than bureaucratic processes or the promotion of divisive and unlawful ideological agendas,” Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in the department’s press release announcing the proposal.

The rule is not final. The department is now taking public feedback before deciding whether to adopt the changes. Comments must be submitted through Regulations.gov on or before Sept. 21, 2026. The department said it will not accept comments by fax or mail.