Department of Education Follows Through on Trump’s EO on Accreditation
Overview
For several months, CSPEN kept sharing with the higher education community the anticipated release of an Executive Order from President Trump providing directives related to revisions and reforms in the accreditation process as part of the Program Integrity TRIAD. While the EO took a bit longer than anticipated, we were on point, and the declaration was published by the White House on April 23rd.
Now, less than two weeks later, the Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has issued a new Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) expanding upon the guidance issued by the President.
The full announcement released by the Department of Education is reprinted for your review below.
U.S. Department of Education Expands Accreditation Options for Colleges and Universities
The Guidance Aligns with President Trump’s Accreditation Executive Order
Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced initial actions to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education (t1.info.ed.gov/r/?id=h243af0d,1ffa268,1ffb244), which instructed the Department to allow institutions to more freely change accreditors and begin reviewing new accreditors. In response, the Department published a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) informing institutions of higher education that they will no longer have to undergo a lengthy process before changing an accreditor.
The Department also lifted the Biden Administration’s moratorium on accepting and reviewing applications for initial recognition of potential new accreditors and notified one applicant that its petition is no longer paused and will be reviewed.
“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,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “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.”
A copy of the DCL can be found here (fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-04-30/changes-approval-process-changing-accrediting-agencies) .
