Dive Brief:
- The Obama administration has proposed a range of tough new policies for accreditors to Congress, but its own history shows hesitation to actually crack down — and Congress might not allow it.
- Inside Higher Ed reports that 80% of federal funding goes to schools accredited by just four agencies, meaning stripping any one of them of federal recognition could stop the flow of financial aid to hundreds of institutions, which the administration seems unlikely to do.
- The administration has also overruled decisions by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity that would have required more from accreditors when it comes to student outcomes.
Dive Insight:
Reforming accreditation is on the lips of virtually every politician in Washington involved in higher education. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has pledged to address accreditation in the rewrite of the Higher Education Act that he is spearheading as chair of the Senate’s education committee.
In some ways, accreditors have been the targets of criticism for perception rather than reality. Many have been raising their standards when it comes to student outcomes. And when some accreditors have tried to crack down — including the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which tried to remove the Community College of San Francisco’s accreditation — they have been blocked.