The U.S. Department of Education is moving forward with draft accreditation regulations that would expand responsibilities for both accrediting organizations and institutions, according to CHEA’s Policy Watch. The negotiated rulemaking process begins Monday, with large implications for how accreditors review compliance and how the federal government oversees accrediting bodies. Draft proposals include presumptions affecting general-education credit transferability, requirements for accrediting organizations to set minimum student-achievement standards tied to return-on-investment measures, and added monitoring of compliance with civil rights laws, including Title IX. CHEA’s Policy Watch notes these changes raise questions about the balance of responsibility across federal agencies, states, and accreditors. Separately, CHEA reports that USDE also issued proposed rules to implement changes to Workforce Pell grants. Together, the items signal that accreditation and federal grant policy are being revised at the same time, increasing compliance workload for institutions and accreditors.