Accreditors May Have to Set Student Achievement Benchmarks

HEADLINES

Accreditors May Have to Set Student Achievement Benchmarks (Inside Higher Education, March 15, 2024) The Biden administration has proposed requiring accreditors to set minimum expectations of performance on several standards, such as graduation and licensure pass rates. The specific metrics would be up to each accreditor. This change, if enacted, would represent a significant shift for the Education Department, which has sought to strengthen the oversight of colleges and universities.

State Schools Superintendent Raises Concerns Over Higher Education Bill in Alabama Legislature (Alabama Reflector, March 15, 2024) The CHOOSE Act and legislation on testing and accreditation would expand one potential pathway to providing alternative teacher certification to being a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which Mackey defined as a membership organization. He agreed with a board member that it would be a lowering of standards.

CHEA President Cynthia Jackson Hammond Explains the Accreditation Process (WUNC.org radio, March 13, 2024) As St. Augustine's University faces continued scrutiny as the institution navigates financial challenges and subsequent accreditation uncertainty, we turn to Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, for a deep dive into the college accreditation process and the consequences of losing accreditation. (To hear Dr. Jackson Hammond’s remarks, begin listening around the 11:45 mark within the link above.)

Republicans Developing Ways to 'Take Heads' and Defeat DEI (Inside Higher Ed, March 14, 2024) Researchers and activists see a window of opportunity in their long-running war on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies, and are calling for changes in accreditation and federal policy. In addition, some urged students and faculty to speak up and resist DEI policies, such as requirements to submit a diversity statement.