Education Department announces reforms to college accreditation process

The Education Department announced Thursday it would be changing how universities change college accreditors while attempting to make it easier for new accreditors to get on the scene. 

College accreditation is part of the process universities go through in order to receive federal student aid, with an accreditor evaluating everything a school does from class offerings to admission processes.  

The department sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to universities informing them the process will be simplified for them to change accreditors.  

The federal agency is also beginning reviews to add more accreditors to the arena after applications for new accreditors were paused under the Biden administration.  

“We must foster a competitive marketplace both amongst accreditors and colleges and universities in order to lower college costs and refocus postsecondary education on improving academic and workforce outcomes for students and families,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.  

The changes come after President Trump signed an executive order that aimed to reform the college accreditation process. 

“President Trump’s Executive Order and our actions today will ensure this Department no longer stands as a gatekeeper to block aspiring innovators from becoming new accreditors nor will this Department unnecessarily micromanage an institution’s choice of accreditor,” McMahon added.

The Biden administration had sent out two "Dear Colleague" letters that put up more barriers to universities changing accreditors. Its guidance that schools needed a “reasonable cause” to switch accreditors led to a lawsuit filed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2023.  

Trump has previously described college accreditation as his “secret weapon” on higher education, with universities at risk of devastating financial consequences if they lose accreditation and access to federal student aid.