ED Seeks Public Comment on Accreditation Handbook Updates
Published December 15, 2025
Federal Policy Higher Education OME Advocate
- On December 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment on updates to the Accreditation Handbook to promote quality, transparency, efficiency and value in postsecondary education.
- The RFI, intended as a step in implementing the President’s April Executive Order titled “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education,” asks a series of questions regarding any inaccuracies in the handbook and the policies and practices that should be updated. The Department also asks how standards can be changed to “incentivize intellectual diversity on campus.”
- Comments are due January 26, 2026, and more information can be found in the Federal Register notice.