The Trump administration’s negotiators approved a draft federal rule set to overhaul college accreditation, shifting responsibilities toward student achievement and expanding oversight of accreditor standards. Education officials said accreditors have failed to ensure quality assurance works as intended, with Nicholas Kent, undersecretary of education, arguing the system should once again serve as a meaningful quality signal. The proposed package would add new requirements for accreditors, including expectations tied to student outcomes and credit-transfer rules that could reduce consideration of institutional selectivity. Left-leaning critics warned the draft is government overreach that could intrude on academic freedom and institutional autonomy, while also increasing cost and bureaucracy for colleges. The measures follow the administration’s 2025 executive order on creating new accreditors, emphasizing student achievement and intellectual diversity, and limiting accreditation requirements tied to racial diversity. Several stakeholders contend the draft may exceed limits in the Higher Education Act, setting up legal and operational uncertainty for campuses preparing for the transition.