Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act

This bill changes how colleges and skills programs are checked for quality (accreditation). It lets states approve more kinds of accreditors, including some industry-based quality groups, with guardrails to prevent conflicts of interest and to include public members on accreditor boards . It also shifts accreditors to judge schools by student results—like how the total price compares to graduates’ “value‑added” earnings, plus completion, retention, and loan repayment—and to share clear information online about who they accredit and when reviews happen .

It sets a risk-based approach: strong performers face fewer check‑ins, while struggling programs must file yearly improvement plans; accreditors can’t favor one teaching model and must verify student identity in online courses . Schools can switch accreditors more easily or even hold more than one, choosing which one counts for federal programs. It also adds protections for religious colleges: if an accreditor’s action is tied to a school’s religious mission, the school stays certified while it appeals or seeks a new accreditor, and the accreditor must prove the action wasn’t because of religion .

• Who is affected: Students who use federal financial aid; colleges and skills programs; accreditors; and state governments.
• Student results and transparency: Accreditors must use measures like price vs “value‑added” earnings, completion, retention, and loan repayment, and post accredited schools and review dates online .
• More accreditor choice: States can designate industry‑based quality groups as accreditors under strict independence rules (public members, conflict‑of‑interest limits) .
• Risk‑based oversight: Less red tape for strong schools; annual improvement plans for high‑risk programs; no bias by sector or tax status.
• Switching and religious protections: Schools can change accreditors or use two for federal program eligibility; religious colleges get added protections during disputes .
• When: Common terminology within 18 months; new accreditors may be recognized within 2 years; state designations last 5 years with monitoring reports .