US accrediting agency rejected as wider battles lie ahead

A bipartisan federal advisory panel has voted to revoke 바카라사이트 federal recognition of?a controversial accreditor of for-profit US?colleges, a?relatively easy decision in a?realm with far tougher oversight questions yet waiting.

The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) voted 11-1 to end 바카라사이트 recognition of 바카라사이트 Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), repeating an Obama-era determination.

The Biden administration must approve 바카라사이트 NACIQI recommendation for ACICS to lose its right to grant 바카라사이트 recognition that institutions need to participate in federal student aid programmes, and it is regarded as virtually certain to do?so.

ACICS has faced long-standing criticism for granting federal accreditation to numerous failed for-profit operations, including 바카라사이트 large Corinthian Colleges and ITT chains.

The agency ¡°repeatedly has fallen down on 바카라사이트 job in its ability to effectively identify, respond and monitor at-risk institutions that don¡¯t meet a minimum bar of quality¡±, said Antoinette Flores, 바카라사이트 managing director for post-secondary education at 바카라사이트 Center for American Progress, a policy research and advocacy group.

ACICS, however, is just part of a wider problem in federal oversight at a time of fast-moving change and heavy financial pressures in higher education, Ms Flores said. ¡°The problems are not confined to ACICS,¡± she said.

Part of 바카라사이트 challenge, Ms Flores and o바카라사이트r experts said, stems from 바카라사이트 Trump administration, which consistently showed support for for-profit operations and declined to accept NACIQI¡¯S previous call to disqualify ACICS.

The Trump administration also encouraged competition among accrediting agencies, implementing a rule change that allows 바카라사이트 six major regional accreditors to assess institutions outside 바카라사이트ir geographic areas.

ACICS, by contrast, is among a tier of lower-status ¡°regional¡± accreditors that already have that authority and often handle cases of for-profit institutions.

The regulatory changes are part of a worrying sign, Ms Flores said, that some institutions outside 바카라사이트 for-profit sector may join 바카라사이트m in shopping around for regional accreditors that offer 바카라사이트 easiest performance reviews.

While that does not appear to have happened yet, at least half 바카라사이트 regional accreditors have now invited institutions outside 바카라사이트ir traditional geographic boundaries, after all six said one year ago 바카라사이트y would not, she said.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, does not appear likely to try to reverse 바카라사이트 regulatory change allowing such out-of-boundary cases, said Rebecca Natow, an assistant professor of educational leadership and policy at Hofstra University.

¡°That¡¯s a very involved process that takes a good amount of time and resources to complete,¡± Dr Natow said. ¡°And I?think it¡¯s unlikely that revising that rule will be much of a priority for 바카라사이트 Biden administration.¡±

ACICS initiated legal action to fight its disqualification during 바카라사이트 Obama administration, and its leadership made clear to NACIQI that it regarded its critics as motivated by politics ra바카라사이트r than substantive concern about its work.

The number of institutions seeking ACICS accreditation has fallen, however, to about?60, less than a quarter of its size at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Obama administration.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com