Education Department Warns Florida About Accreditation Bill
Emma Whitford
March 14, 2022
The U.S. Department of Education warned Florida governor Ron DeSantis that if the state implements a law to require colleges and universities to change accreditors with every accreditation cycle, it could put institutions’ access to federal financial aid in jeopardy.
If approved by DeSantis, the new Florida legislation would require public institutions to change accreditors at the end of each accreditation cycle, which typically lasts between eight and 10 years. Accreditation is time- and resource-intensive, and institutions typically do not change accreditors often.
“The Department urges you to consider the unintended consequences of this law,” James Kvaal, under secretary for education, wrote in a letter to DeSantis. “The steps involved in preparing for accreditation and even changing accreditors may be tedious and costly, which could lead to increased institutional burden and costs that may be passed down to students and families.”
