Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025

This bill changes the federal rules for accrediting agencies, the groups that review colleges so the colleges can take part in federal student aid programs. To be recognized, an accrediting agency would have to confirm that its standards do not require, encourage, or coerce a college to support or oppose particular political, social, or ideological viewpoints, and do not assess a college's commitment to any ideology or belief. Agency standards also could not bar religious colleges from requiring statements of faith or religious codes of conduct, and could not bar colleges from requiring an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. The bill also bars the Secretary of Education from setting accreditor criteria beyond those in this section. It says a college that meets its accreditor's standards on student achievement qualifies for federal programs regardless of the accreditor's other standards.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Burgess Owens Republican sponsor
• 12 cosponsors