The accreditation process and the federal role in shaping it are clearly of critical importance for ensuring all students have access to quality postsecondary options. And yet, due to the complexity of the relationship among the federal government, accreditors, and institutions, and the opacity of the accreditation process itself, there is little…

The Higher Education Act of 1965 makes clear that, although the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has an important role to play in ensuring that all academically-ready students have the opportunity to attend the colleges of their choice, Congress has prohibited the Department from intervening in the curricular decisions of an institution…

Historically, accreditation in higher education developed as a part of the evolution of the American higher education system, at a time when it was becoming problematic that no single point of control or central body existed to set educational standards. In the late 19th century, there was no consensus on the content of the educational programs…

The Department of Education (Education) provided more than $125 billion in federal student aid funds in fiscal year 2016 to help students pay for higher education. To participate in federal student aid programs, postsecondary schools must be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by Education. This report examines: (1) the strengths and…

This hearing is the fourth in the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions' series examining issues in postsecondary education in anticipation of reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Accreditation's role is to help ensure an acceptable level of quality across a wide spectrum of American higher education. Under the Higher…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine strengthening accreditation to better protect students and taxpayers. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce; and (2) Honorable Robert C. Scott, Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce.…

Accreditation is being transformed from a valued private-sector process--over which the federal government historically has exercised limited control--to a process that is subject to more and more federal involvement. The implications of this shift, profound for faculty members, can include the erosion of academic freedom and the loss of…

In a recent volume published by Harvard Education Press, "The Convergence of K-12 and Higher Education: Policies and Programs in a Changing Era" (see ED568824), Christopher Loss and Patrick McGuinn gathered a group of researchers to explore the "convergence" of US education policy fifty years after the passage of the Elementary…

The role of accreditation in the United States is facing increased scrutiny, due in part to the impending renewal of the Higher Education Act and to the report of the U.S. Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education. The report claims that a "transformation of accreditation" toward an exclusively…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are facing challenges to their continued existence on several fronts. One is fiscally, as federal funding for education has been cut and the responsibility for paying for higher education has been levied on students and parents. Another challenge is the amount of endowment dollars available to…

Thirty distinguished college and university presidents and chancellors shared their perceptions of institutional and programmatic accreditation in a series of interviews conducted by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) during Spring 2005. The presidents commented on their knowledge of and involvement in accreditation, accreditation's…

It took five years, dozens of drafts, and a total of 14 extensions, but Congress last week was finally on the verge of passing a bill to renew the Higher Education Act, the major law governing federal student aid. The bill, after approval by the U.S. House of Representatives, was headed to the Senate, where a final vote was planned for late last…

Colleges, not surprisingly, aren't thrilled with provisions of the bill that will create "watch lists" of the most expensive institutions. The language could have been a lot worse. Back in 2005, when Republicans were in the majority, Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon of California proposed withholding federal aid from colleges that…

Hearings on the U.S. system of accrediting colleges are presented, with attention to the relationship between accreditation and the eligibility system of the Department of Education. Colleges approved by accrediting agencies become eligible to participate in federal financial aid programs, while schools that do not follow accrediting agency…

Controversies concerning the role of college accrediting agencies are identified, including such issues as student enrollment diversity, student loan defaults, and accountability. Recent actions of the Education Department, Congress, and specialized accrediting agencies are noted, as is controversy concerning linking accreditation by a regional…