Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act

The Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act revises the Higher Education Act of 1965 to overhaul how accreditation is recognized and conducted in the United States. It broadens the pool of entities that can serve as accrediting bodies by allowing state-designated organizations and industry-specific quality assurance entities to be recognized, provided they meet strengthened independence and governance requirements. The bill emphasizes clearer, outcomes-focused standards (including student success, learning outcomes, and labor market results), increased transparency, and more robust monitoring. It also introduces risk-based review processes, accelerates recognition for new accrediting entities under certain conditions, and strengthens procedures around changes of accrediting agencies, public reporting, and protections for religiously affiliated institutions. A notable feature is the enhanced emphasis on preventing credential inflation and on ensuring that accreditation decisions do not inappropriately affect institutions based on non-educational factors. In addition to widening who can accredit, the bill adds specific procedural safeguards, clearer public reporting, and a formal framework for addressing complaints related to religious mission constraints. It aims to create a more competitive and adaptable accreditation landscape while preserving accountability through federal oversight, state role in designation, and standardized monitoring of outcomes.