Advocacy Alert: MSCHE Submits Public Comment on Proposed Federal Accreditation Rules
On September 14, 2026, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) submitted public comment on the United States Department of Education’s newly proposed federal accreditation regulations resulting from the Department’s Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking.
We encourage institutions to submit public comments, as this is an important opportunity to speak directly about how the proposed changes could affect students, academic quality, institutional operations, innovation, and costs. While the Commission has submitted comments from our perspective as a recognized accrediting agency, institutions should determine which issues matter most for their missions and circumstances. Public comments are due by September 21, 2026, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
The Commission offered support in a number of important areas while also identifying areas where the Department could reconsider language or the approach.
Heather F. Perfetti, Commission President, served as an alternate negotiator on the AIM committee, representing the constituency of institutional accreditors recognized by the Department Secretary.
“Federal accreditation rules help shape how institutions, accreditors, states, and the Department of Education work together to support quality and protect students,” said Heather. “Our perspective as an accreditor is important but institutions should review the proposed regulations and provide feedback that will convey the impact, along with specific alternative approaches that could improve our work together.”
We will continue to share resources throughout this week on our social media to help institutions understand the process and participate effectively through the preparation of comments. Institutional representatives should revisit the Commission’s tools and resources previously provided by email.
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Categories: Advocacy