Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) have reintroduced the Accreditation Reform and Enhanced Accountability Act, reviving legislation they first introduced in 2016 to strengthen oversight of colleges receiving federal student aid by tying accreditation more closely to student debt and repayment outcomes.
The Accreditation Reform and Enhanced Accountability Act would require the U.S. Department of Education to establish new standards for evaluating colleges, including how successfully graduates repay their student loans and whether the debt they take on is reasonable compared with their post-graduation earnings.
The proposal would also require accrediting agencies to respond more quickly to state and federal investigations involving fraud or misconduct and increase transparency around accreditation decisions.
Focus On Student Outcomes
The legislation follows findings by the Biden administration that 1.7 million student loan borrowers were defrauded by accredited schools between 2021 and 2024, a figure the lawmakers cited in arguing for stronger oversight of the accreditation system.
“We need to overhaul our accreditation system to make sure students get an education that will improve their lives, not leave them jobless and buried in debt,” Warren said, according to Business Insider.
Broader Student Loan Debate
The proposal comes as lawmakers continue to debate broader changes to the federal student loan system. Earlier this year, Warren led more than 60 Democratic lawmakers in urging Education Secretary Linda McMahon to cancel debt for borrowers already eligible for existing federal relief programs, including Public Service Loan Forgiveness and borrower defense to repayment, while warning that millions of borrowers were facing mounting repayment pressures.
The proposal also comes after President Donald Trump‘s One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect on July 1, introducing new repayment plans, borrowing limits and other accountability measures across the federal student loan system.
Separately, the Education Department has proposed changes to the accreditation system that would require accrediting agencies to ensure colleges uphold free speech protections on campus. The proposal has drawn criticism from some negotiators who argued First Amendment issues fall outside the traditional role of accreditors.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
