FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
UPDATE: What College Accreditation Changes Mean for Students
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this blog post appeared here. This post has been updated to reflect the most recent developments.
For millions of Americans, federal student loans and grants open the doors to a college education. That critical federal student aid must be used at a school that is (among other things) given the seal of approval by an “accrediting agency” or “accreditor” recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It’s one of the safeguards in the system. Accreditation is an important signal to students, families, and the Department about whether a school offers a quality education. Accreditors have a responsibility under federal law to make sure colleges earn that seal.
But what happens when the Department stops recognizing an accrediting agency?
It’s a relatively unusual case, but it’s a relevant one today. Today, Secretary King—as part of our regular process for reviewing accreditors—upheld the decision to stop recognizing the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (or ACICS) as an agency that can provide schools with an accreditation that makes them eligible for participation in federal aid. For more information about the failures that led to that recommendation click here.
I’ll try to answer some of what you might be wondering today, and we’ll continue to provide more information as the process plays out.
How do I know if my school is accredited by ACICS?
Good first question. You can look it up here.
What does this mean for students at ACICS-accredited institutions?
Many institutions will not be impacted for the next 18 months, which is the time they have to receive accreditation by another recognized agency.
The 18-month timeframe means that a number of students who already have started at one of these schools will be able to complete their certificates or degrees before anything changes.
Generally speaking, if you’re near the end of your program or you’re preparing to transfer to another college or university, this news probably won’t interrupt your program. Your school will let you know directly if that’s not the case.
States also have a role to play with schools’ ability to receive student aid. So we’ve also required your school to notify you if any state action or other circumstance affects their ability to participate while they look for a new accreditor.
What happens next?
Your school and others accredited by ACICS now have 18 months to get a seal of approval from a different recognized accreditor in order to stay eligible to participate in federal student aid programs. Schools are eligible to continue their participation in the meantime.
Again, if you’re wondering whether changes in your school’s accreditation status might affect your specific plans, you should reach out to your school for individualized advice.
It’s worth noting here that licensing for some jobs – but not all – may require that your program is currently accredited by a Department-recognized accreditor. Contact your institution and/or the licensure board in your field to see if this is the case.
Okay, so it will take a while, but what if a school ultimately can’t find an accreditor?
At that point, students would no longer be able to use their federal student aid at those schools. Students who have not completed their program and want to continue to use federal loans or grants past that point would need to transfer to another school. Schools also need to have a plan in place to inform students about their options.
What if I want to transfer out of my school?
That’s a decision only you can make, but we have some tools that can help if you decide to transfer. In particular, you might want to check out the College Scorecard to look into other options and see how well those schools prepare their graduates for life after college.
Read and learn more HERE!:
http://blog.ed.gov/2016/12/college-accredi...
Posted By: agnes levine
Tuesday, December 13th 2016 at 1:32PM
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