Federal Updates
White House
On April 23, 2025, President Trump issued seven executive orders related to education. These executive orders cover a range of topics from new initiatives involving HBCUs to foreign gift reporting. One of the executive orders, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education is specifically focused on accreditation.
HLC has released a statement regarding the Executive Order.
The Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC), of which HLC is part, has also released a statement.
In May, HLC joined more than 50 other higher ed organizations advocating to renew and expand the historic compact between colleges and universities and federal government.
The American Council on Education (ACE) has excellent resources for tracking executive orders.
U.S. Department of Education
Proposed Negotiated Rulemaking
In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced its intention to begin a negotiated rulemaking process. The announcement indicated that the negotiated rulemaking “will focus on how Title IV regulations have impacted institutions, states, and other partners and if their implementation may be inhibiting innovation and contributing to rising college costs.” C-RAC offered comments at a public hearing in late April regarding the proposed topics.
In May 2025, the Department further announced that the negotiated rulemaking session, to be held in Summer 2025, will focus on student loan issues. Constituencies for negotiators include representatives from several sectors of higher education. Nominations for negotiators are due to the U.S. Department of Education by June 2, 2025.
Changing Accreditors
In May 2025, the U.S. Department of Education released a Dear Colleague Letter (GEN-25-03) that announced changes to the approval process for changing accrediting agencies, including rescinding two previous guidance documents from 2022. As a companion to the Dear Colleague Letter, the Department also published a Reasonable Cause Request Certification form that an institution would use to make the request to the Department to change accreditors or obtain multiple accreditations. HLC has updated its Accelerated Process for Seeking Accreditation in response to the guidance.
Collection on Defaulted Student Loans
In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced that the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will resume collections on defaulted student loans, which it has not done since March 2020.
Congress
Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025
In March 2025, Representative Burgess Owens (R-UT) introduced the Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. The bill would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) in various ways, including limiting the standards that an accreditor may have related to several topics, including “specific partisan, political, or ideological viewpoint[s] or belief[s].”
Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan
As part of the budget reconciliation process, Congress is considering several different bills that could impact federal student aid and funding for institutions of higher education. Of note is the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan which was passed by the House Education and Workforce Committee in April 2025. The bill includes numerous provisions related to Title IV student aid, including changes to student eligibility; changes to loan limits and repayment requirements; modifications to Pell Grants, including expansion into short-term, workforce Pell Grants; and institutional accountability measures related to student non-repayment.
State Updates
Numerous states have recently passed or continue to consider legislation related to higher education or accreditation. For example:
- Ohio—The Advance Ohio Education Act was signed into law in March 2025.
- Arkansas—The Arkansas ACCESS Act was signed into law in March 2025.
- Kansas—A law which, among other things, limits the types of actions that an accrediting agency can take related to an institution’s compliance with law was signed in April 2025.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) maintains a database of legislation related to postsecondary education.
Advocacy Agenda
HLC maintains an Advocacy Agenda that outlines its advocacy priorities related to federal and state regulations and legislation that apply to accreditation and higher education. HLC’s Advocacy Agenda is developed in alignment with HLC’s mission, strategic planning efforts, stakeholder engagement, and industry trends.
HLC’s Relationship Within the Triad
HLC has developed a statement on its Relationship Within the Triad to explain the shared oversight and the interconnected higher education environment in the United States. In particular, HLC notes in its statement that:
“The college or university’s mission is central to HLC’s accreditation and assurance of academic quality. In determining whether institutions meet HLC requirements, HLC considers the institution’s mission. An accredited institution demonstrates how it meets HLC requirements through a mission-reflective lens.
…
Should any of HLC’s requirements overlap with requirements from other members of the Triad, we work with the other Triad members to identify these situations and limit the burden on the institution.
HLC does not prescribe how a member institution meets HLC’s requirements. If a requirement of another entity of the Triad may appear to limit an institution’s ability to meet HLC’s requirements in a particular manner, an institution has the flexibility within HLC’s requirements to identify other ways to demonstrate it meets HLC’s requirements.”
Questions?
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