Posted on 08/05/2023 8:52:09 AM PDT by karpov
College accreditation used to be the most soporific of topics. Almost nobody was interested in it because accreditation meant so little. Accrediting agencies had their standards that kept degree mills from fooling people into thinking they were real colleges. Nothing wrong with that, but it wasn’t a matter of national concern.
In recent years, however, accreditation has become highly controversial. The reason is that the accrediting agencies have ceased to be neutral parties who apply reasonable standards to ensure that students are not squandering their federal student-aid funds on dodgy schools that are just interested in cashing in on easy money. Instead, the accreditors have become activists who want to direct how colleges and universities will be run. They have badly overstepped their boundaries, and that has now triggered a lawsuit against the Department of Education.
That lawsuit pits the State of Florida against the Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, and a host of his underlings. In its complaint, Florida makes the bold argument that the current accreditation system, whereby private accrediting organizations are the gatekeepers for eligibility for federal student aid, is illegal—unconstitutional, in fact.
If this case succeeds, it will require Congress to make a major revision to our student-loan programs.
Florida makes several strong arguments against the legality of the current accreditation system.
First, and foremost, there is a delegation problem.
(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...
Another good move by DeSantis as Florida governor and shows his approach at the federal level.
Yeah, accreditation in both public schools and colleges are a mess. The actual issues are ignored and the window dressing (diversity, socioemotional learning, pointless professional development) is overstressed.
About which I was publishing here on FR 20 years ago. The original post is gone from the Archives, but has been compiled and republished here
U.S. News and World Report puts out an annual ranking of universities. I have often wondered how realistic they are, and if there is payola behind some of the ranks, especially the mediocre schools in the Ivy League.
“Another good move by DeSantis as Florida governor and shows his approach at the federal level.”
Absolutely! Doing a GREAT JOB there. Hopefully he also goes after how private schools (grade schools through high school) are accredited, as the Left has also taken over that process.
I'm guessing it's spotty. Evaluating the product of liberal arts schools is more subjective than from STEM curricula.
The only legitimate criteria is how successful students are in the job market.
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