Negotiated Rulemaking to Tackle Accreditation Reform

The Department of Education is moving forward with its plan to establish a negotiated rulemaking committee to revise current accreditation regulations. Dubbed the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee, the negotiated rulemaking panel is expected to address the Trump Administration’s key accreditation priorities.

For months, the Trump Administration has been laying the groundwork for accreditation reform, beginning with an Executive Order in April, new guidance in May, and pointed public criticism of accreditation by Under Secretary Nicholas Kent and other administration officials.

The Department’s latest announcement provides the clearest picture yet of the scope of the accreditation changes the agency is considering. According to the notice, the AIM Committee will consider accreditation issues that include, but are not limited to:

• Recognition of new accrediting agencies and procedures for institutions to change accrediting agencies;
• Revision of criteria and standards to focus on student achievement and outcomes, high educational quality, and high-value programs;
• Removal of criteria that are anti-competitive, discriminatory, or that contribute to credential inflation and escalating tuition costs;
• New requirements specifying that accreditors must have standards that consider program-level student achievement and outcomes data and procedures for taking action on institutions that violate civil rights laws;
• Review of accrediting agencies' oversight responsibilities in the program integrity triad;
• Review of the “role that accrediting agency standards have played in promoting violations of Federal law, including unlawful discrimination by member institutions under the guise of accreditation standards for diversity, equity, and inclusion”;
• Assessment of whether current regulations should be clarified to ensure that accreditors do not impede the use of new learning models and innovative program delivery approaches;
• Revision of accreditation standards to prioritize intellectual diversity amongst faculty;
• Amendments to standards governing when an accrediting agency is deemed separate and independent from any affiliated trade association or membership organizations; and
• Technical changes and other administration priorities relating to accreditation.

Prior to announcing the negotiated rulemaking, the Department solicited stakeholder feedback on accreditation. In response, NAICU submitted its own comment letter [link] and joined community comments.

Despite the broad scope of the AIM Committee’s agenda, it is unclear how much leeway the administration has to make major changes to accreditation, given that the Higher Education Act significantly constrains the Department’s authority to force accreditors to adopt changes outside of the accreditation standards set forth in the statute. Nevertheless, the administration’s efforts clearly signal that the political pressure on accreditation will continue.

The AIM Committee will convene for two sessions in Washington, D.C. The first session will be held April 13-17, 2026, and the second session is scheduled for May 18-22, 2026.

For more information, please contact:
Jody Feder