Key Points
- The U.S. Department of Education has finalized a landmark rule to reform, strengthen, and modernize America's higher education quality assurance system.
- The new rule prioritizes student outcomes, reduces regulatory burdens, and promotes innovation and intellectual diversity in higher education.
- The rule is expected to increase competition among accrediting agencies and reduce administrative costs for institutions and programs.
What the New Rule Means for Higher Education
The U.S. Department of Education has finalized a landmark rule to reform, strengthen, and modernize America's higher education quality assurance system. The new rule prioritizes student outcomes, reduces regulatory burdens, and promotes innovation and intellectual diversity in higher education.
The rule is designed to increase competition among accrediting agencies and reduce administrative costs for institutions and programs. By encouraging new entrants and reducing barriers to institutional mobility, the rule promotes greater competition and innovation throughout the accreditation system.
The final rule also shifts the focus of accreditation towards assessing meaningful student outcomes, including measures of student achievement, completion, and post-completion success. This change is expected to reduce unnecessary barriers that force students to repeat coursework, increase costs, and extend time to completion.
At a Glance
| U.S. Department of Education | Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent Spokesperson for the Department |
| Higher Education Act of 1965 | Section 492 Requires public involvement in the development of proposed regulations |
| Executive Order 14279 | Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education Directs the Department to reform the accreditation system |
| Negotiated Rulemaking | April 13-17 and May 18-22, 2026 Process used to develop the final rule |
Behind the Scenes: How the Rule Was Developed
Behind the Scenes: How the Rule Was Developed
The final rule was developed through a negotiated rulemaking process that brought together accrediting agencies, students, veterans, state officials, taxpayers, and more. The process was designed to solicit public involvement and advice from stakeholders.
The Department conducted two negotiated rulemaking sessions, from April 13-17 and May 18-22, 2026. After nine days of deliberation and negotiation, the AIM Committee reached consensus.
The Department made no substantive changes to the final rule, retaining the text agreed upon by the AIM Committee and proposed in the NPRM.
What Colleges and Universities Should Expect
What Colleges and Universities Should Expect
The final rule is expected to increase competition among accrediting agencies and reduce administrative costs for institutions and programs.
Colleges and universities should expect to see a shift in the focus of accreditation towards assessing meaningful student outcomes, including measures of student achievement, completion, and post-completion success.
The rule also directs accrediting agencies to evaluate policies at institutions that prioritize intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas.
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