Regional Accreditation Standards: A New Framework for Comparison
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| Title: | Regional Accreditation Standards: A New Framework for Comparison |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Cameron Childress, Elizabeth Davidson Pisacreta, James Dean Ward, Lisa Yamagishi-Levin, Ithaka S+R |
| Source: | ITHAKA S+R. 2026. |
| Availability: | ITHAKA S+R. Available from: ITHAKA. One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway 5th Floor, New York, NY 10006. Tel: 212-500-2355; e-mail: ithakasr@ithaka.org; Web site: https://sr.ithaka.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 40 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Arnold Ventures |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Accreditation (Institutions), Standards, Higher Education, Models |
| DOI: | 10.18665/sr.324687 |
| Abstract: | Accreditation is an important aspect of higher education, yet its processes and impacts remain largely opaque to the public. As one of the main federal resources ensuring colleges meet basic standards of quality, accreditors act as gatekeepers, controlling whether an institution's students can access over $120 billion in financial aid through federal grants and loans each year. This research project aims to systematically analyze accreditation standards from each of the major US accreditors as well as offer insights into how these criteria influence student success and post-graduation outcomes. The authors examine the handbooks of 11 accreditors--seven that were previously known as "regional" accreditors (before that distinction was made moot) and four national accreditors. They use these handbooks to identify how accreditation standards have evolved in recent years and assess the extent to which these standards address student outcomes and post-graduation success. The authors find that while most accreditor standards converge around common themes, they differ in how specific and actionable they are, with only a few clearly linking institutional practice to measurable student outcomes. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED681034 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Accreditation is an important aspect of higher education, yet its processes and impacts remain largely opaque to the public. As one of the main federal resources ensuring colleges meet basic standards of quality, accreditors act as gatekeepers, controlling whether an institution's students can access over $120 billion in financial aid through federal grants and loans each year. This research project aims to systematically analyze accreditation standards from each of the major US accreditors as well as offer insights into how these criteria influence student success and post-graduation outcomes. The authors examine the handbooks of 11 accreditors--seven that were previously known as "regional" accreditors (before that distinction was made moot) and four national accreditors. They use these handbooks to identify how accreditation standards have evolved in recent years and assess the extent to which these standards address student outcomes and post-graduation success. The authors find that while most accreditor standards converge around common themes, they differ in how specific and actionable they are, with only a few clearly linking institutional practice to measurable student outcomes. |
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| DOI: | 10.18665/sr.324687 |
