On November 1, the Department of Education (ED) announced the final regulations on accreditation and state authorization of distance education, to take effect on July 1, 2020. However, there has been opposition from some higher education organizations and other politicians. ED amended the regulations governing the recognition of accrediting agencies, certain student assistance general provisions, and institutional eligibility.
ED noted in their announcement that the final regulations were designed to expand educational options for students, provide opportunity to transfer credits between schools, and ensure occupationally-focused education meets current workforce needs. ED believes that the regulations will:
- Level the playing field by ending unfounded distinctions between accreditors based on the geographic area in which they perform their work
- Create opportunities for new accreditors that give priority to student needs and outcomes rather than academic traditions that primarily benefit faculty
- Counter the inclination of faculty, professional societies, and licensing boards to rachet up the entry level postsecondary credential required to work in certain occupations
- Enable students and institutions to leverage state-of-the art facilities maintained by companies, unions, and trade associations – as well as the expertise of the subject matter experts these organizations employ – to improve educational quality and outcomes and reduce the cost of providing education to students in areas where equipment is expensive and technology evolves rapidly
- Enable more institutions, including rural institutions, to provide low-cost or no-cost dual enrollment opportunities to students while still in high school
- Speed up approval of new programs and curricular changes to ensure that what students learn in school keeps pace with what employers demand in the workplace
- Empower employers to help engage more actively in program development and review
- Inform student choice by helping students determine which programs are mostly likely to prepare them to meet the licensure or certification requirements in certain occupations
- Update Department rules to ensure that students who elect to complete their credential abroad have the opportunity to complete part of their program in the U.S. or to take courses offered by other institutions in the country in which they are enrolled
“These final regulations demonstrate our commitment to working with student, State, employer, and institutional representatives to develop sound policies that serve the best interests of students,” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos explains. “These reforms are necessary to bring higher education into the current century, to be more responsive to the needs of students, and to reduce the skyrocketing cost of higher education.”
The final rules appeared to contain several changes from June’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which is within the authority of ED in the process. According to a recent NASFAA article, several higher education organizations and democratic lawmakers have opposed some of these changes.
“Many commenters expressed general opposition to the proposed regulations, suggesting that the Department was weakening both its oversight of accrediting agencies and the accrediting agencies’ oversight of institutions, reducing transparency, and putting students and taxpayers at risk,” ED noted in the Final Regulation. ED responded to these concerns, stating that the regulations “are in the best interest of students, consumers, and taxpayers, and will improve the quality of the education offered at institutions by ensuring that all institutions and programs meet a threshold of quality.”
The Department will also soon publish proposed rules based on the consensus agreements reached on topics related to distance education and innovation, as well as Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grants and the equitable treatment of faith-based institutions.
The full regulations are available on the Federal Register: Student Assistance General Provisions, The Secretary’s Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, The Secretary’s Recognition Procedures for State Agencies.
Sources:
Department of Education: Secretary DeVos Finalizes Higher Education Regulations that Promote Innovation, Protect Students, and Reduce Regulatory Burden
NASFAA: Department of Education Releases Final Regulations on Accreditation, State Authorization