Reforming Accreditation To Strengthen Higher Education
Education Department Directed to Reform Accreditors and End Discrimination
What it does
The Secretary of Education must enforce recognition rules, hold accreditors accountable, and the Attorney General must investigate unlawful DEI accreditation practices.
Real-world impact
- Accreditors risk denial, suspension, or termination of federal recognition.
- Law and medical school accreditors may face investigations and enforcement actions.
- Institutions must use program-level student outcome data without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex.
Topics
Summary
This order directs the Department of Education and the Attorney General to reform the college accreditation system so accreditors focus on student outcomes and stop enforcing unlawful "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) requirements.
It says accreditors who violate Federal law can lose recognition and directs investigations of law and medical school accreditors that use DEI standards. The order also requires accreditors to use program-level student outcome data without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex, resumes recognizing new accreditors, and creates a pilot to allow new quality pathways.
Questions, answered
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