In a groundbreaking move, the U.S. Department of Education has announced new rules for accreditors, aimed at improving accountability and transparency in higher education institutions. The new regulations, which were proposed under the Obama administration but delayed for years, will require accreditors to provide more detailed information about the schools they oversee, including their graduation rates, job placement rates, and loan repayment rates.
Accreditors will also be required to conduct more thorough reviews of colleges and universities, including on-site visits and interviews with faculty, staff, and students. These measures are designed to ensure that accreditors are holding institutions to high standards and that they are providing students with a quality education.
In addition to the new rules for accreditors, the Department of Education has also announced that it will be delaying a controversial provision that would require textbook publishers to disclose textbook pricing information. The provision, which was set to go into effect in 2020, has now been pushed back to 2025 to allow for more time for publishers to comply.
Textbook pricing has long been a concern for students, who often face exorbitant costs for required course materials. The delay in implementing the pricing disclosure requirement has been met with mixed reactions, with some arguing that it is necessary to give publishers more time to adjust to the new rules, while others believe that students should not have to wait any longer for transparency on textbook costs.
Overall, these new rules for accreditors and the delayed textbook pricing disclosure requirement are steps in the right direction towards improving accountability and affordability in higher education. By holding accreditors responsible for ensuring that schools are meeting certain standards and by pushing for greater transparency in textbook pricing, the Department of Education is working to make higher education more accessible and equitable for all students.
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