"Historically, the recognition process can take up to five years, making it rare for a new accreditor to join the marketplace. In fact, the department says just four agencies with the power to make institutions eligible for federal student aid have been approved since 1999. Seven accreditors currently serve as gatekeepers of federal aid for 3,000 institutions, according to ED."
"In an interpretative rule released Thursday, officials said that aspiring accreditors can seek federal recognition two years after filing their articles of incorporation and completing another so-called accrediting activity, such as adopting accreditation standards. This change aims to address what ED officials say is 'a primary obstacle' to recognizing more accreditors and to clear up 'significant confusion' regarding the types of accrediting activities aspiring agencies must do."
"Recognizing more accreditors is a priority for the Trump administration, which recently gave nearly $10 million in grants to aspiring agencies. Trump also signed an executive order in April that directed ED to make the process easier, and the department is planning to rewrite the federal rules for accreditation later this spring."
The Education Department announced changes to expedite federal recognition for aspiring accreditors, reducing the historically lengthy five-year process. Only four new accreditors have been approved since 1999, with seven currently serving as gatekeepers for federal student aid across 3,000 institutions. The Trump administration prioritizes expanding accreditors through $10 million in grants and an executive order directing streamlined processes. An interpretative rule released Thursday allows aspiring accreditors to seek recognition two years after filing incorporation documents and completing accrediting activities like adopting standards. Officials identified the lengthy timeline as a primary obstacle and addressed confusion about required accrediting activities, clarifying that regulatory examples are illustrative rather than exhaustive.
#accreditation-reform #federal-student-aid #education-policy #regulatory-streamlining #higher-education-access
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