Accreditation Reform and Enhanced Accountability Act of 2026

This bill changes federal rules for the groups that accredit colleges and universities, which colleges need to receive federal student aid. It would let the Secretary of Education set student achievement measures, such as loan repayment and post-college earnings, and require accreditors to set minimum thresholds that colleges must meet to stay accredited. Accreditors would have to conduct enhanced reviews when a college faces fraud investigations or similar problems, follow new conflict-of-interest rules, and report their decisions publicly and to state attorneys general. Colleges would have to post their accreditation status on their websites, have credit transfer agreements with other colleges under the same accreditor, and submit teach-out plans in certain situations. The Secretary could fine accreditors and would review accreditors after a college they approved is found to have committed fraud or files for bankruptcy.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Elizabeth Warren Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors