Accreditation Reform and Enhanced Accountability Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would make accreditation hinge on measurable outcomes and stronger federal oversight by centering accreditation on _student achievement_ and tighter agency accountability. It would create new data-driven benchmarks, public disclosure tools, and sharper enforcement powers for the Secretary of Education.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
New student outcome rules for colleges
This bill would require accreditors to set minimum student achievement thresholds that colleges must meet to remain accredited. The Education Secretary would define measures like academic progression, loan repayment, post-college earnings, and debt-to-earnings and provide yearly disaggregated data to accreditors. The Secretary would select at least 10 schools for closer benchmark review during recognition. Schools that fail the thresholds could risk losing accreditation and access to Title IV federal student aid.
Clear accreditation labels and records
This bill would create a federal Accreditation Disclosure System and require Title IV schools to use it within three years. Schools would post a Secretary-designed accreditation status form on their websites and update any status change within 48 hours. Accreditors would publish summaries and reasons for final decisions and must give the Department all accreditation documents for schools that close. The Secretary would post final accreditor review documents on a federal website within one year.
Limits on schools switching accreditors
This bill would stop the Secretary from recognizing a school's new accreditation during a change of accreditors unless the school provides prior accreditation materials, the prior accreditor confirms no active concerns, the school had no adverse actions in the prior 24 months, and the change is voluntary. The Secretary would publish an annual list of schools that changed accreditors.
Required credit transfer agreements between schools
This bill would require every institution under the same accreditor to have credit-transfer agreements with the others within four years. Agreements must allow transfer of all general education courses and courses required for substantially similar programs. Accreditors would confirm schools publish transfer policies and state the criteria they use to accept transfer credit.
Higher oversight and teach-out protections
This bill would require accreditors to start enhanced reviews when a school faces fraud investigations, bankruptcy, ownership changes, rapid enrollment shifts, or signs of financial weakness. Reviews can lead to suspension or loss of accreditation, extra public notices, and teach-out obligations. Schools must submit teach-out plans within 30 days after many risk triggers and private schools must show funds to carry them out. The Education Secretary could review accreditors within 30 days of specified findings and impose fines, and the Inspector General would audit the Secretary every three years.
Stronger conflict rules for accreditors
This bill would bar reviewers from accreditation decisions if they recently worked for, have major financial ties to, or have fiduciary duties to a school under review. It would also bar certain family members, federally registered lobbyists, and specified former accreditor leaders. The rule aims to make accreditation decisions more impartial and protect students.
Federal court for accreditation suits
This bill would require that civil actions about the accreditation rules or a school's accreditation denial, withdrawal, or termination be filed in U.S. district court. This would change where such cases are heard and could affect timelines and legal costs for schools and plaintiffs.
No agency handoff of accreditation duties
This bill would bar the Education Secretary from contracting with or transferring certain accreditation recognition duties to another federal agency. Existing contracts in effect on January 20, 2025, and their renewals are exceptions. The change would affect how the Department organizes accreditation work.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov